From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Lighten \Light"en\, verb (used with an object) [See {Light} to illuminate.]
1. To make light or clear; to light; to illuminate; as, to lighten an apartment with lamps or gas; to lighten the streets. [In this sense less common than light.]
A key of fire ran all along the shore, And lightened all the river with a blaze. --Dryden.
2. To illuminate with knowledge; to enlighten. [In this sense less common than enlighten.]
Lighten my spirit with one clear heavenly ray. --Sir J. Davies.
3. To emit or disclose in, or as in, lightning; to flash out, like lightning.
His eye . . . lightens forth Controlling majesty. --Shak.
4. To free from trouble and fill with joy.
They looked unto him, and were lightened. --Ps. xxxiv. 5.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Lighten \Light"en\ (l[imac]t"'n), verb (used without an object) [See {Light} to alight.] To descend; to light.
O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us. --Book of Common Prayer [Eng. Ed.].
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Lighten \Light"en\ (l[imac]t"'n), verb (used without an object) [imp. & p. p. {Lightened} (l[imac]t"'nd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Lightening}.] [OE. lightenen. See {Light} to kindle, illuminate.]
1. To burst forth or dart, as lightning; to shine with, or like, lightning; to display a flash or flashes of lightning; to flash.
This dreadful night, That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars As doth the lion. --Shak.
2. To grow lighter; to become less dark or lowering; to brighten; to clear, as the sky.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Lighten \Light"en\, verb (used with an object) [See {Light} not heavy.]
1. To make lighter, or less heavy; to reduce in weight; to relieve of part of a load or burden; as, to lighten a ship by unloading; to lighten a load or burden.
2. To make less burdensome or afflictive; to alleviate; as, to lighten the cares of life or the burden of grief.
3. To cheer; to exhilarate.
Lightens my humor with his merry jests. --Shak.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
verb
1: make more cheerful [syn: {buoy up}] [ant: {weigh down}]
2: make more cheerful [syn: {buoy up}]
3: make lighter or brighter; "The paint will brighten the room" [syn: {brighten}, {lighten up}] [ant: {darken}]
4: become brighter; "The sky brightened" [syn: {brighten}] [ant: {darken}]
5: become lighter; "The room lightened up" [syn: {lighten up}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
98 Moby Thesaurus words for "lighten": abate, allay, alleviate, assuage, attemper, attenuate, bank the fire, be light, beacon, blunt, break, brighten, brighten up, chasten, cheer up, constrain, control, damp, dampen, dawn, de-emphasize, deaden, dilute, diminish, disburden, disembarrass, disencumber, downplay, dull, ease, enlighten, extenuate, flood with light, floodlight, gladden, grow bright, grow light, have little weight, highlight, illume, illuminate, illumine, irradiate, keep within bounds, kick the beam, lay, lenify, lessen, light, light up, luminate, make light, make lighter, mitigate, moderate, modulate, mollify, obtund, off-load, overshine, palliate, play down, reduce, reduce the temperature, reduce weight, relieve, relume, relumine, restrain, set at ease, shed light upon, shine, shine upon, slacken, slow down, smile, smother, sober, sober down, soften, spotlight, stifle, subdue, suppress, tame, temper, thin, throw light upon, tone down, tune down, unballast, unburden, underplay, unfreight, unlade, unload, weaken, weigh lightly
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