▪ I. † ˈlighten, n. Obs.
In 4–5 leighten, 8 Sc. lichten.
[f. lighten v.2]
Lightning.
| c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xiv. 65 In somer es þer grete thundres and leightens [ed. 1839 Leytes]. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 12 (E.D.D.) Swift as the lichtens fly, Whan thunners crash the clouds aboon. |
▪ II. lighten, v.1
(ˈlaɪt(ə)n)
Forms: 4 lihtne, 4–5 lyghtyn, 5 lightyn, liten, 4– lighten.
[f. light a.1 + -en5; in sense 5 perh. rather an extension of light v.1, the inf. termination -en being taken as part of the stem.]
I. 1. trans. To reduce or remove the load of (a ship, etc.); to relieve of a burden, or something regarded as a burden. Also intr. for pass.
| a 1375 Joseph Arim. 644 Heo was lihtned of hire euel in a luytel stounde. 1435 Misyn Fire of Love ii. xi. 100 Lufe..is a lyght byrdyn, þe berar not chargeand bot lightynand. 1535 Coverdale Jonah i. 5 The goodes that were in the shippe, they cast in to the see, to lighten it off them. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. x. 16 She of late is lightned of her wombe. 1615 W. Lawson Country Housew. Garden (1626) 2 In Winter your yong trees and herbs would be lightned of Snow, and your Allyes cleansed. a 1700 Dryden Ovid's Met. xv. Pythag. Philos. 606 He lightens of its Load the Tree. 1760–72 H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) II. 114 Clement, with his young pupil, came home, quite lightened of the money they had taken abroad. 1807 E. S. Barrett Rising Sun III. 88 We ought to return our grateful thanks to heaven, for having lightened us from so horrid a charge. 1871 L. Stephen Playgr. Europe iv. iii. 236 To lighten the cart..I descended and walked on ahead. 1885 Law Rep. 14 Q. Bench Div. 517 When vessels..were of too heavy a burthen to come up the canal they were lightened at Sharpness. 1891 Daily News 3 Nov. 3/7 The steamer Amaryllis..is ashore at Savannah. She will have to lighten before she can get off. |
2. To remove a burden from, relieve (the heart or mind); † to cheer, comfort (obs.). Now rare.
| c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 2410 Whos comyng lightned his hert somdele. 1590 Shakes. Com. Err. i. ii. 21 A trustie vilaine..that..Lightens my humour with his merry iests. 1666 Bunyan Grace Ab. ¶258, I was greatly lightened in my mind. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xvii. IV. 61 To lighten his conscience. |
b. intr. for refl. or pass. Somewhat rare.
| 1400 Sir Perc. 2219 His hert lightened in hy Blythe for to bee. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour (1863) Prol. 1 Thaire suete songe made my herte to lighten. 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. xi. 74 As I looked aloft..my heart lightened. |
3. trans. To reduce the weight of; to make lighter or less heavy (in various senses of the adjs.); to alleviate, mitigate.
| 1483 Cath. Angl. 216/2 To Lyghtyn, alleuiare, or to make lightt. 1570 Levins Manip. 61/27 To Lighten, leuigare. 1576 Act 18 Eliz. c. 1 §1 Yf any person..deminishe..or lighten the proper Moneys.. of this Realme. 1665 Boyle Occas. Refl. i. v, His fellow's Burthen lightens not his Load. 1667 Milton P.L. x. 960 How we may light'n Each others burden in our share of woe. 1670 Marvell Corr. cxlvii. Wks. 1872–5 II. 325 The King..resolved..to weigh up and lighten the Duke's efficacy, by coming himself in person. 1781 C. Johnston Hist. Juniper Jack II. i. vii. 57 The manner of this address was far from lightening Juniper's embarrassment. 1793 Trans. Soc. Arts XI. 114 A stiff loam, lightened with rotten sawdust. 1833 H. Martineau Vanderput & S. ii. 26 He lightens their labour. 1843 Lever J. Hinton xxi. (1878) 144 To lighten the road by song and story. 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. xvi. 110 We..paused to lighten our burdens and to refresh ourselves. 1871 R. Ellis tr. Catullus ii. 8 Heavier ache perhaps to lighten. 1879 Cassell's Techn. Educ. IV. 48/2 This has the effect of lightening the appearance. 1885 Manch. Exam. 28 Mar. 5/5 The task of lightening the burdens of the..ratepayers. |
† b. To remove the weight of; to lessen the pressure of. Obs.
| 1611 Bible 1 Sam. vi. 5 Peraduenture hee will lighten his hand from off you. [A literalism of translation.] 1797 Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3) VI. 670/2 By lightening or sinking the graver with the hand, according to the occasion. Ibid. 671/l The hand should be lightened in such a manner, that [etc.]. |
c. To make agile or nimble. rare.
| 1599 Shakes. Much Ado v. iv. 120 Let's haue a dance..that we may lighten our own hearts, and our wiues heeles. 1727 Bailey vol. II, To Lighten a Horse..is to make a Horse light in the Fore-hand, i.e. to make him freer and lighter in the Fore-hand than behind. |
4. intr. To grow lighter.
| 1720 De Foe Capt. Singleton v. (1840) 85 Their luggage..lightened every day. 1862 Tyndall Mountaineer. iv. 28 Until the rain seemed to lighten. |
† II. 5. To descend, alight; to light upon. Obs.
The well-known passage in the Te Deum (quot. 1548–9) is perh. now commonly understood as containing lighten v.2
| a 1425 Cursor M. 11258 (Trin.) While þis aungel tiþing tolde Oþere liȝten [Cott. lighted] doun mony folde. c 1440 Gesta Rom. xliv. 172 (Harl. MS.) Þe holy gost shalle liten in the as a shadow. 1548–9 (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Te Deum, O Lorde, let thy mercy lighten upon us [L. fiat, Domine, misericordia super nos]. 1704 Ray Creation i. 150 They fly out of Italy into Africk: lightning many times on Ships in the midst of the Sea, to rest themselves when tir'd and spent with flying. |
▸ intr. colloq. (orig. U.S.). to lighten up: to become less severe, serious, or worried; to take a more easygoing attitude, cheer up, relax. Freq. in imper.
| 1911 N.Y. Times 24 Dec. 1 They want the Inspectors and the Captains and the rank and file to lighten up, to loose [sic] the screws a little bit. 1955A. Murray Let. 2 Nov. in R. Ellison & A. Murray Trading Twelves (2000) 101 Lighten up, lighten up and loosen up. Watch your elbows, man... What you mad about? 1977 S. Kernochan Dry Hustle 208 Lighten up, now. I'm a skilled laborer like anyone else. 1991 C. George Out of Storm (BNC) ii, She giggled, and he nodded approvingly. ‘That's better. You're beginning to lighten up a bit.’ 2004 C. Lee Aloft i. 6, I left a message for him in the voice of Mr. T, all gruff and belligerent, threatening to open a big can of whoop-ass on him if he didn't lighten up. |
▪ III. lighten, v.2
(ˈlaɪt(ə)n)
Forms: 4 liȝtne, lyȝtne, liȝten, -on, -yn, 5 lyȝtnyn, lyghtenyn, (lithnyn), liȝtny, lighton, liȝthon, lyten, 4–6 lyghten, 6 Sc. lichtin, lychtin, 3– lighten.
[f. light a.2 + -en5.]
1. trans. To shed light upon; to give light to; to make bright or luminous; to light up, brighten. Also fig. or in fig. context.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 18600 Þe dai bitakens þe ded of him þat lightend [Fairf. liȝtened] has ur ded sa dim. a 1340 Hampole Ps. lxvi. 1 God..lighten his face on vs [Vulg. illuminet vultum suum]. 1382 Wyclif Rev. xxi. 23 The cleerte of God shal liȝten [1388 liȝtne] it. c 1386 Chaucer Frankl. T. 322 Hir desir Is to be quyked and lightned of youre fir [v.rr. lyghtenyd, liȝtned, lighted]. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xxv. 117 Þis charbuncle lightnez all þe chaumbre on þe nyght. 1502 Atkinson tr. De Imitatione iii. xlviii. 235 Than shall Iherusalem be lyghtened & enserched with lanternes & lyghtes. 1530 Palsgr. 611/2, I lyghten, I fyll or store a place with lyght, je enlumine. 1563 Winȝet Wks. (1890) II. 77 Sanct Xistus the Pape, quha now rycht wirschepful lychtnis [L. illustrat] the Roman Kirk. 1588 Spenser Virg. Gnat 341 Lightned with deadly lamps on everie post. 1666 Dryden Ann. Mirab. ccxxxi, A key of fire ran all along the shore And lightened all the river with a blaze. 1766 Entick London IV. 7 The body of the church is lightened by a series of..arched windows. 1860 Pusey Min. Proph. 348 The darkness of the captivity was lightened by the light of the prophetic grace which shone through Daniel and Ezekiel. 1880 E. White Cert. Relig. 32 That Lord of theirs who lightens the earth with his glory. 1887 Hall Caine Deemster x. 65 Pavement of deep black, lightened only by the image of a star. |
b. To cause (the countenance or looks) to light up with lively expression, etc. Also intr. for pass. of the face, eyes, etc.
| 1795 Gentl. Mag. 544/1 To lighten up the clouded countenances of a dull society. 1856 Kane Arct. Expl. II. xvi. 175 The gloom of several countenances was perceptibly lightened. 1867 Ouida C. Castlemaine (1879) 9 The beauty, whose eyes he had seen lighten and proud brow flush. 1890 ‘Rolf Boldrewood’ Col. Reformer (1891) 168 His eye lightened, and the old gleam of pride..spoke from it. |
† 2. In Biblical lang.: To remove blindness or dimness from (the eyes); to restore sight to. Obs.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter xviii. 9 Þe comaundment of lord shynand, lightenand eghen. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. iv. pr. iv. 99 (Camb. MS.) They ben lyke to bryddes of which the nyht lyhtneth hir lookynge. 1388 Wyclif Tobit xiv. 1 Aftir that he was liȝtned he lyuede two and fourti ȝeer. c 1440 Gesta Rom. xlvi. 195 (Harl. MS.) Þenne whenne þou ert vp Risen fro slepe of synne, and art I-litenyd, & mayste see. 1535 Coverdale Ps. xii[i]. 3 Lighten myne eyes, that I slepe not in death. |
3. To shed spiritual light upon; to enlighten or illuminate spiritually. arch.
| 1395 Purvey Remonstr. (1851) 63 Othere bisshopis ben more lightnid of God in kunnynge and holynesse. c 1440 Hylton Scala Perf. (W. de W. 1494) ii. xxx, He lyghtned her reason & kyndeled her affeccion. 1502 Atkinson tr. De Imitatione i. xiv. 163 It shalbe longe or thou be gostly lyghtned. 1548–9 (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Collect St. John Evang., Beeyng lyghtened by the doctryne of thy blessed Apostle and Euangelyste John. 1549 Coverdale, etc. Erasm. Par. Rom. 23 The holy psalme wryter Dauid lightened with the spirite of god. 1550 Hutchinson Image of God xviii. (1560) 94 The man which falleth after he is lightened, is not without al possibilitie of amendement. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, ii. i. 208 Now the Lord lighten thee, thou art a great Foole. 1609 Bible (Douay) Ezek. xliii. comm., Al the world is lightned by the preaching of Christs Apostles. 1682 Bunyan Holy War 180 Oh! how they were lightened! they saw what they never saw. 1840 I. Williams Hymn, ‘O heavenly Jerusalem’, To Christ the Sun that lightens His Church above, below. |
† 4. To kindle, ignite; = light v.2 2. Obs.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter xvii. 31 Þou lightnys my lantern. a 1400 Prymer (1891) 46 Liȝtne the fier of thi loue in hem. 1490 Caxton Eneydos xv. 58 Venus lyghtened the torches for to receyue hiemen the god of weddynge. a 1568 R. Ascham Scholem. (Arb.) 56 Who haue had in so fewe yeares the Candel of Goddes worde so oft lightned, so oft put out. c 1645 Howell Lett. (1650) III. 8 As one Taper lightneth another. |
5. intr. To shine, flash, burn brightly; to be or grow luminous, to glow with light.
| 1382 Wyclif Gen. i. 15 And liȝtne thei in the firmament of heuene and liȝtne thei the erthe. c 1400 Destr. Troy 4630 With a launchant laite lightonyd the water. a 1611 Beaum. & Fl. Maid's Trag. i. ii, The east begins to lighten. 1665 Boyle Occas. Refl. 222 The Blood that lightens in their Cheeks. 1715–20 Pope Iliad x. 155 His steely lance, that lighten'd as he pass'd. 1813 Scott Rokeby i. xxix, He will wait the hour, When her lamp lightens in the tower. 1854 H. Miller Sch. & Schm. (1858) 350 The low-browed clouds..that lightened and darkened by fits as the flames rose and fell. 1871 Swinburne Songs bef. Sunrise, Prelude 120 Her mystic face Lightened along the streams of Thrace. |
b. To shine like light on. (Cf. quot. 1548–9 under lighten v.1 5.)
| 1814 Cary Dante, Par. xxvii. 88 From her radiant smiles,..pleasure so divine Did lighten on me [orig. 95 lo piacer divin che mi rifulse]. |
6. To flash lightning, to emit flashes of lightning. Chiefly impers.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 304/1 Lyghtenyn, or leuenyn (K. lithnyn, as levyn), coruscat. 1470–85 Malory Arthur vii. xxxi, It lyghtned and thondred as it had ben woode. 1555 Eden Decades 244 The heauen neuer ceased thunderyng rorynge & lyghtenynge with terrible noyse. 1611 Bible Luke xvii. 24 As the lightning that lighteneth out of the one part vnder heauen, shineth vnto the other part vnder heauen. a 1637 B. Jonson Underwoods, Elegy, ‘'Tis true, I'm broke’, God lightens not at mans each fraile offence. 1725 De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 351 Two of the men..cried out, it lightened. One said, he saw the flash. 1814 Scott Wav. xviii, It may thunder and lighten before the close of evening. 1819 Byron Juan i. clviii, Her dark eyes flashing through their tears Like skies that rain and lighten. 1896 A. E. Housman Shropsh. Lad l, Where doomsday may thunder and lighten And little 'twill matter to one. |
| fig. 1722 E. Haywood Brit. Recluse (ed. 2) 132 Scorn lighten'd in her Glances! |
7. trans. To cause to flash out or forth; to send down as lightning. (lit. and fig.)
| c 1586 C'tess Pembroke Ps. lxix. x, Lighten indignation downe. 1589 Greene Menaphon (Arb.) 27 Shee lightened out smiles from those cheekes. c 1590 ― Fr. Bacon (1630) A 2, Her sparkling eyes Doe lighten forth sweet Loues alluring fire. 1592 Daniel Compl. Rosamond 11 Wks. (1717) 44 How that thy King..Lightens forth Glory on thy dark Estate. 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, iii. iii. 69. 1627 Lisander & Cal. v. 87 Calista nourished an enemy in her house, who lightened forth..miserable effects in small time after. |
Add: [5.] c. To become gradually lighter; also (of a colour, or something coloured) to become paler. Also fig.
| 1841 Emerson Ess. 1st Ser. ix. 224 If we consider what happens in conversation, in reveries, we shall catch many hints that will broaden and lighten into knowledge of the secret of nature. 1893 Funk's Stand. Dict. I. 1030/1 The fabric lightened in the wash. 1931 E. Linklater Juan in Amer. 162 But presently the sky began to lighten, and a cock crew. 1958 A. Wilson Middle Age of Mrs Eliot i. 104 Everywhere a great rocky plateau stretched—grey, pinkish, brown, lightening to a lemon yellow, paling to a deathly chalk. 1980 Catal. Fine Chinese Ceramics (Sotheby, Hong Kong) 96 Covered in a translucent glaze streaked predominantly in purple changing to lavender and lightening on either side of each lobe. 1991 Mirabella May 60/2 The shock of carrot-colored hair..had lightened to a soft strawberry blond. |
▪ IV. lighten
obs. pa. pple. of light v.1