verb
- a simple past tense and past participle of alight1.
verb (used without object), a·light·ed or a·lit, a·light·ing.
- to dismount from a horse, descend from a vehicle, etc.
- to settle or stay after descending: The bird alighted on the tree.
- to encounter or notice something accidentally.
verb
- a rare past tense and past participle of alight 1
verb alights, alighting, alighted or alit (intr)
- (usually foll by from) to step out (of) or get down (from)to alight from a taxi
- to come to rest; settle; landa thrush alighted on the wall
adjective, adverb (postpositive)
- burning; on fire
- illuminated; lit up
poetic past tense and past participle of alight (v.).
“to descend, dismount,” Old English alihtan, originally “to lighten, take off, take away,” from a- “down, aside” (see a- (1)) + lihtan “get off, make light” (see light (v.)). The notion is of getting down off a horse or vehicle, thus lightening it. Of aircraft (originally balloons) from 1786. Related: Alighted; alighting.
“on fire,” early 15c., apparently from Middle English aliht, past participle of alihton (Old English on-lihtan) “to light up,” also “to shine upon” (see light (n.)).