lightening
Use Lightening in a sentence
n noun Medicine/Medical.
the descent of the uterus into the pelvic cavity, occurring toward the end of pregnancy, changing the contour of the abdomen and facilitating breathing by lessening pressure under the diaphragm.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
verb (used without object)
1.
to become lighter or less dark; brighten: The sky lightened after the storm.
2.
to brighten or light up, as the eyes or features: Her face lightened when she heard the good news.
3.
to flash as or like lightning (often used impersonally with it as subject): It thundered and lightened for hours.
4.
Archaic. to shine, gleam, or be bright: steel blades lightening in the sun.
verb (used with object)
5.
to give light to; illuminate: A full moon lightened the road.
6.
to brighten (the eyes, features, etc.): A large smile lightened his face.
7.
to make lighter or less dark: Add white to lighten the paint.
8.
Obsolete, enlighten.
9.
Obsolete. to flash or emit like lightning (usually followed by out, forth, or down ): eyes that lightened forth implacable hatred.
00:10
Lightening
is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
| the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. |
verb (used with object)
1.
to make lighter in weight: to lighten the load on a truck.
2.
to lessen the load of or upon: to lighten a cargo ship.
3.
to make less burdensome or oppressive; alleviate; mitigate: to lighten taxes; to lighten someone's cares.
4.
to cheer or gladden: Such news lightens my heart.
verb (used without object)
5.
to become less severe, stringent, or harsh; ease up: Border inspections have lightened recently.
6.
to become less heavy, cumbersome, burdensome, oppressive, etc.: His worries seem to have lightened somewhat.
7.
to become less gloomy; perk up: People's spirits usually lighten when spring arrives.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
|
Link To lightening
Collins
World English Dictionary
lighten1 (ˈlaɪtən) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | to become or make light |
| 2. | (intr) to shine; glow |
| 3. | (intr) (of lightning) to flash |
| 4. | (tr) an archaic word for enlighten |
| lighten2 (ˈlaɪtən) | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | to make or become less heavy |
| 2. | to make or become less burdensome or oppressive; mitigate |
| 3. | to make or become more cheerful or lively |
| lightening (ˈlaɪtənɪŋ) | |
| —n | |
| obstetrics the sensation, experienced by many women late in pregnancy when the head of the fetus enters the pelvis, of a reduction in pressure on the diaphragm, making it easier to breathe | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
American Heritage
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Over-the-counter creams are available for lightening the skin.
So the beauty scientists came up with a whole new chemistry for getting the lightening molecules inside the hair.
But she asked committee members to lobby for a lightening of the residency requirement.
Clouds, farm building, lightening and wheat capture the mood.
Nearby Words
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
