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Meaning of light (something) up in English

Light (something) up.

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( EXPRESSION )

  • agreeableness
  • all things to all people idiom
  • delightfully
  • distraction
  • divertingly
  • indulgently
  • serendipitous

( CIGARETTE )

  • anti-tobacco
  • big tobacco
  • chain-smoker
  • cigarette butt
  • cigarette holder
  • nicotine patch
  • passive smoking
  • roll up! idiom
  • roll-your-own
  • second-hand smoke

light up | American Dictionary

( look happy ), light up something, ( make bright ), ( make burn ).

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  • light (something) up (EXPRESSION)
  • light (something) up (CIGARETTE)
  • light up (LOOK HAPPY)
  • light up something (MAKE BRIGHT)
  • light up something (MAKE BURN)
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Definition of 'light up'

Light up in british english, light up in american english, synonyms of 'light up', examples of 'light up' in a sentence light up, trends of light up.

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Browse alphabetically light up

  • light truck
  • light valve
  • light vehicle
  • All ENGLISH words that begin with 'L'

Related terms of light up

  • back-up light

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light up (something)

Definition of light up (something)

Example sentences.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'light up (something).' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near light up (something)

light valve

Cite this Entry

“Light up (something).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/light%20up%20%28something%29. Accessed 5 Sep. 2023.

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Definition of light up phrasal verb from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

light something up

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  • 3 if someone's eyes or face light up , or something lights them up , they show happiness or excitement His eyes lit up when she walked into the room. A smile lit up her face.

Nearby words

  • 1.1 Pronunciation
  • 1.2.1.1 Derived terms
  • 1.2.1.2 Translations
  • 1.4 References
  • 1.5 Anagrams

English [ edit ]

Pronunciation [ edit ], etymology 1 [ edit ].

Phrasal verb from light ( “ to make bright, ignite ” , verb ) +‎ up ( “ to a higher degree ” , adverb ) .

Verb [ edit ]

light up ( third-person singular simple present lights up , present participle lighting up , simple past and past participle lit up or ( rare ) lighted up )

  • 1922 February, James Joyce , Ulysses , Paris: Shakespeare and Company ,   [ … ] , →OCLC : Episode 12, The Cyclops : The deafening claps of thunder and the dazzling flashes of lightning which lit up the ghastly scene testified that the artillery of heaven had lent its supernatural pomp to the already gruesome spectacle.
  • 2001 , J. Stewart Burns , “ Roswell That Ends Well ”, in Futurama , season 3, episode 19 , spoken by Philip J. Fry ( Billy West ): I've never seen a supernova blow up, but if it's anything like my old Chevy Nova, it'll light up the night sky.
  • 2020 April 22, “Network News: Glenfinnan turns blue to honour NHS workers”, in Rail , page 9: The illumination was organised by Martin Whyte from events company The Stage Group, fulfilling a long-held ambition of his to light up the 21-arch Scottish structure.
  • 2009 , President Nixon's Pilot , Jim Bell, in The Propinquity Effect →ISBN : When we cranked up the engine, the fire warning light lit up .
  • 1956 [ 1880 ], Johanna Spyri , Heidi , translation of original by Eileen Hall, page 84 : Clara's eyes lit up at this highly unusual occurrence.
  • 1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison , Cato, a Tragedy.   [ … ] , London: [ … ] J [ acob ] Tonson ,   [ … ] , published 1713 , →OCLC , Act I, scene i, [ https://archive.org/details/catotragedyasiti00addi/page/1

/mode/1up page 1]:

  • 1962 December, “Motive Power Miscellany: North Eastern Region”, in Modern Railways , pages 422, 425 : On the morning after the one-day strike, October 4, one of the Type 4s on crew-training, No. D169, was appropriated to head the 3 a.m. mail to Hull, as no steam locomotive had been lit up and the usual Hull Type 3 was not available; [...].
  • 2019 , Bernardine Evaristo , Girl, Woman, Other , Penguin Books (2020), page 15 : where a group of women rolled up to enjoy the free plonk and spill out on to the pavement to light up and chat each other up
  • 2001 , Ash , Shining Light : You are a shining light, and you light up my life.
  • 2010 , WLTX.com, Young Girl Continues Bike Giveaway Tradition , 25 Nov 2010 "It lights me up , make me happy. Sometimes I go home, go in my room and cry with joy,"said Hudson smiling
  • ( transitive , slang ) To open fire on a target or group of targets, especially with rockets , a flamethrower etc. telling me to light it up if it didn't stop approaching
  • ( chiefly US , transitive , slang ) To shock (someone) with a stun gun .
  • ( chiefly US , transitive , slang ) To activate the emergency sirens on a police vehicle in order to pull someone over . I guess he doesn't realize who's behind him, because the way he's darting and weaving, he's practically begging me to light him up .

Derived terms [ edit ]

  • light someone's ass up

Translations [ edit ]

Etymology 2 [ edit ].

Phrasal verb from light ( “ to make less heavy ” , verb ) +‎ up ( “ to a higher degree ” , adverb ) .

light up ( third-person singular simple present lights up , present participle lighting up , simple past and past participle lighted up )

  • ( transitive , nautical ) To loosen , slacken , or ease off . to light up the jib-sheets

References [ edit ]

  • William Dwight Whitney and Benjamin E[li] Smith , editors (1914), “light2”, in The Century Dictionary: An Encyclopedic Lexicon of the English Language , volume III (Hoop–O), revised edition, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co. , →OCLC , page 3447 .

Anagrams [ edit ]

light up define

IMAGES

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VIDEO

  1. Light work

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  3. Light work

  4. Light work👏👏

  5. What was that light?

COMMENTS

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    Sandy brown hair color is a light brown color that is a mix of brown and blonde hair, explains Allure. People with this hair color may have medium brown hair as the dominate color, with lighter sections of hair that diffuse the darkness of ...

  2. What Color Is Hazel?

    The color hazel is defined as a light golden brown, similar to that of a hazelnut. Hazel is most commonly used to refer to a person’s eye color. Many people with hazel eyes find that their eye color changes from a light brown to a greenish-...

  3. What Are Examples of Translucent Objects?

    Tinted windows, frosted glass, sunglasses, wax paper, fingers and certain plastics are all examples of translucent objects. Translucent is defined as a material that blurs light as it passes through.

  4. LIGHT (SOMETHING) UP

    If your face or eyes light up, or if a smile lights up your face, you suddenly look happy: Rosie's whole face lit up with excitement when she saw the

  5. Light up definition and meaning

    light up · 1. phrasal verb. If you light something up or if it lights up, it becomes bright, usually when you shine light on it. ...a keypad that lights up when

  6. Light up Definition & Meaning

    The meaning of LIGHT UP is to become lit : to begin shining —often used figuratively to express interest or pleasure. How to use light up in

  7. light-up phrasal verb

    light up · ​to become or to make something become bright with light or colour. There was an explosion and the whole sky lit up. · ​if somebody's eyes or face

  8. Light up (something) Definition & Meaning

    The meaning of LIGHT UP (SOMETHING) is to provide light for (something) : to fill (something) with light —often used figuratively. How to use light up

  9. meaning of light up in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

    From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishlight up phrasal verb1 light something ↔ upLIGHT to give light to a place or to shine light on something The

  10. light-up phrasal verb

    light up · 1(informal) to begin to smoke a cigarette They all lit up as soon as he left the room. · 2to become or to make something become bright with light or

  11. light up

    VerbEdit · (transitive) To illuminate, to bring light to something, to brighten. quotations ▽ · (intransitive) To start to emit light; to become activated as a

  12. Light up

    To brighten or illuminate something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "light" and "up." Fireworks are lighting up the night sky.

  13. Light up Definition & Meaning

    light up · to light a cigarette, pipe, etc · to illuminate or cause to illuminate.

  14. Light up

    /laɪt əp/ · verb. ignite. “The sky lit up quickly above the raging volcano” · verb. start to burn with a bright flame. “The coal in the BBQ grill finally lit up”.