lightness

Everyday

1. Lightness is being not heavy. tree →
2. Lightness is being bright or pale in colour. tree →
3. Lightness is a gentle, cheerful, easy feeling or way of moving: lightness of heart, lightness of step. tree →

In the lessons

In science: the lightness of a feather or of a material. In art: the lightness or darkness of a colour. In stories: a dancer's lightness, or a lightness in someone's voice when they are happy.

Examples

• The lightness of the bike makes it easy to carry. tree →
• The ballet dancer moved with great lightness. tree →
• Feel the lightness of this feather. tree →
• Add white to increase the lightness of the colour. tree →
• There was a lightness in her voice after the good news. tree →
• The cake had a wonderful lightness. tree →
• His dancing was very clever indeed, and the animals were all highly pleased with his grace and lightness. tree →

Note

Uncountable. Opposite: heaviness (weight), darkness (colour). Do not confuse with «lighting» (lamps) or «lightning» (storm flash).

In Jewish tradition

Jeremiah says Israel took her unfaithfulness so lightly that the land became polluted.

Interpretation. Tradition reads this as showing that sin is not private: it can defile the Land of Israel itself.

Examples

• and it came to pass through the lightness of her harlotry, that the land was polluted, and she committed adultery with stones and with stocks; (Prophets JER.3.9, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Uncountable. Opposite: heaviness (weight), darkness (colour). Do not confuse with «lighting» (lamps) or «lightning» (storm flash).