Domain: Universal Wordsnoun, adjective, verb, adverb
Part of speech: nounfrom sun / lamps
1 [U] the energy from the sun, a lamp, etc. that makes it possible to see things:
bright / dim light * a room with good / poor natural light * in the fading light of a summer's evening * The light was beginning to fail (= it was beginning to get dark). * She could just see by the light of the candle. * Bring it into the light so I can see it. * a beam / ray of light
seealsoFIRSTLIGHT
2 [C] a particular type of light with its own colour and qualities:
A cold grey light crept under the curtains.
seealsoTHENORTHERNLIGHTS
lamp
3 [C] a thing that produces light, especially an electric light:
to turn / switch the lights on / off * to turn out the lights * Suddenly all the lights went out. * to turn down / dim the lights * A light was still burning in the bedroom. * ceiling / wall lights * Keep going-the lights (= traffic lights) are green. * Check your car before you drive to make sure that your lights are working. * It was dark by now, except for strips of coloured lights.
seealsoBRAKELIGHT, GREENLIGHT, HEADLIGHT, LEADINGLIGHT, REDLIGHT
for cigarette
4 [sing.] a match or device with which you can light a cigarette: (BrE) Have you got a light? * (AmE, BrE) Do you have a light?
expression in eyes
5 [sing.] an expression in sb's eyes which shows what they are thinking or feeling:
There was a soft light in her eyes as she looked at him.
in picture
6 [U] light colours in a picture, which contrast with darker ones:
the artist's use of light and shade
window
7 [C] (architecture) a window or an opening to allow light in:
leaded lights
seealsoSKYLIGHT
IDIOMS
according to sb's / sth's lights (formal) according to the standards which sb sets for him or herself:
The police were left to do the job according to their lights.
be / go out like a light (informal) to go to sleep very quickly:
She returned to bed and went out like a light.
be in sb's light to be between sb and a source of light:
Could you move-you're in my light.
bring sth to light to make new information known to people:
These facts have only just been brought to light.
cast / shed / throw light on sth to make a problem, etc. easier to understand:
Recent research has thrown new light on the causes of the disease.
come to light to become known to people:
New evidence has recently come to light.
in a good, bad, favourable, etc. light if you see sth or put sth in a good, bad, etc. light, it seems good, bad, etc:
You must not view what happened in a negative light. * They want to present their policies in the best possible light.
in the light of sth (BrE) (AmE in light of sth) after considering sth:
He rewrote the book in the light of further research.
light at the end of the tunnel something that shows you are nearly at the end of a long and difficult time or situation
(the) light dawned (on sb) somebody suddenly understood or began to understand sth:
I puzzled over the problem for ages before the light suddenly dawned.
the light of sb's life the person sb loves more than any other
see the light
1 to finally understand or accept sth, especially sth obvious:
He thinks she's wonderful but he'll soon see the light (= realize that she's not)!
2 to begin to believe in a religion
see the light (of day) to begin to exist or to become publicly known about:
He's written a lot of good material that has never seen the light of day.
set light to sth (especially BrE) to make sth start burning:
A spark from the fire had set light to a rug.
moreatBRIGHTadj., COLDadj., HIDEv., JUMPv., SWEETNESS
