Light

līt, n. that which shines or is brilliant: the agent by which objects are rendered visible: the power of vision: day: dawn of day: that which gives light, as the sun, a candle: the illuminated part of a picture: means of communicating fire or light: a lighthouse: ( fig. ) mental or spiritual illumination: enlightenment: knowledge: public view: point of view: a conspicuous person: an aperture for admitting light: ( B. ) prosperity, favour.— adj. not dark: bright: whitish.— v.t. to give light to: to set fire to: to attend with a light.— v.i. to become light or bright:— pr.p. light′ing; pa.t. and pa.p. light′ed or lit.— adj. Light′able .— n. Light′-ball , a composition of saltpetre, sulphur, resin, and linseed-oil formed into a ball, and used by soldiers to give light during military operations.— n.pl. Light′-dues , tolls taken from ships in certain waters, for the maintenance of lighthouses.— ns. Light′er ; Light′house , a tower-like construction exhibiting a light for indicating to ve els, when nearing a port or coasting along shore, the proximity of rocks, shoals, and other dangers; Light′house-man , Light′-keep′er , the keeper of a lighthouse.— adj. Light′le .— ns. Light′ne ; Light′-room , in a man-of-war, a small room separated from the magazine by thick gla windows, and used to illuminate it: the room in a lighthouse containing the lighting apparatus; Light′-ship , a stationary ship carrying a light and serving the purpose of a lighthouse in very deep waters.— adj. Light′some , full of light.— n. Light′wave , a wave of the luminous ether.— Light of nature , intellectual perception or intuition: ( theol. ) man's capacity of discovering truth unaided by revelation.— Between the lights , in the twilight; Between two lights , under cover of darkne ; Bring to light , to reveal; Children of light , Christians as under the illumination of the Divine light, that illumination which comes directly from God; Come to light , to be revealed; Fixed light , in lighthouses, a light which is maintained steadily without change, as opposed to a revolving light; Floating light , a light displayed at the mast-head of a lightship to show dangers to navigation; Foot , Ground , lights , a row of lights used on a stage to light up the base of a scene; Inner light , spiritual illumination, light divinely imparted; Northern lights , aurora borealis; See the light , to come into view; Stand in one's own light , to hinder one's own advantage. [A.S. leóht ; Ger. licht .]