verb (used without object)
- to become lighter or less dark; brighten: The sky lightened after the storm.
- to brighten or light up, as the eyes or features: Her face lightened when she heard the good news.
- to flash as or like lightning (often used impersonally with it as subject): It thundered and lightened for hours.
- Archaic. to shine, gleam, or be bright: steel blades lightening in the sun.
verb (used with object)
- to give light to; illuminate: A full moon lightened the road.
- to brighten (the eyes, features, etc.): A large smile lightened his face.
- to make lighter or less dark: Add white to lighten the paint.
- Obsolete. enlighten.
- Obsolete. to flash or emit like lightning (usually followed by out, forth, or down): eyes that lightened forth implacable hatred.
verb (used with object)
- to make lighter in weight: to lighten the load on a truck.
- to lessen the load of or upon: to lighten a cargo ship.
- to make less burdensome or oppressive; alleviate; mitigate: to lighten taxes; to lighten someone’s cares.
- to cheer or gladden: Such news lightens my heart.
verb (used without object)
- to become less severe, stringent, or harsh; ease up: Border inspections have lightened recently.
- to become less heavy, cumbersome, burdensome, oppressive, etc.: His worries seem to have lightened somewhat.
- to become less gloomy; perk up: People’s spirits usually lighten when spring arrives.
verb
- to become or make light
- (intr) to shine; glow
- (intr) (of lightning) to flash
- (tr) an archaic word for enlighten
verb
- to make or become less heavy
- to make or become less burdensome or oppressive; mitigate
- to make or become more cheerful or lively
v.1“to make less heavy,” figuratively “to make cheerful,” mid-14c., from light (adj.1) + -en (1). Related: Lightened; lightening. v.2“shed light upon, illuminate, brighten,” early 14c., from light (n.) -en (1). Meaning “to grow brighter” is late 14c. Of faces, expressions, etc., from 1795. Related: Lightened; lightening.