Forms: 1 alíht-an, 2–4 aliȝt-en, 4 alyȝt-en, 4–5 alight-e(n, 5 alyght(e, 7 alite, 5– alight. Pa. t. 1–3 alíhte, 3–4 aliȝte, 5–6 alight, alyght, 6– alighted, (9 alit). Pa. pple. 1–3 aliht, 3–4 aliȝt, alyȝt, 4–5 alight, 5 alyght, 6– alighted, (9 alit). [OE. alíhtan, f. A- pref. 1 + líhtan: see LIGHT v.1]
I. Referring chiefly to the action: To spring.
1. To spring or jump lightly down from (of obs.) a horse; hence, To dismount from a horse or descend out of a conveyance.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gram., xxx. § 3. 191. Dissilio, ic of alíhte.
1250. Layam., 26337. Adun hii gonne alihte of hire gode stedes.
c. 1300. Beket, 1854. Of his palefrai he aliȝte adoun.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, lii. 585. Down he alyhte of his rownsy. Ibid., xxv. 151. He ne dorste … owt of his sadil alyhte.
1475. Caxton, Jason, 10 b. Peleus and Jason were alighted from their hors.
1530. Palsgr., 420/2. I alight downe of a horse.
1578. T. N., trans. Conq. W. India, 321. And he alyghting from his horse.
a. 1674. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., III. XIV. 404. His Majesty alighted out of his Coach.
1699. Dryden, Flower & Leaf, 304. The victors from their lofty steeds alight.
1857. Dickens, Lett. (1880), II. 31. Station-masters assist him to alight from carriages.
1863. Mrs. Jameson, Leg. Monast. Ord., 36. The emperor has just alighted from his charger.
† 2. To spring lightly, to vault on or upon, to mount. Obs.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 2938. And wan Ro[land] was on his [stede] alyȝt; to is felawes þanne a sede.
1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., XXXII. vi. I alyght anone upon my gentyll stede.
† 3. To spring forth. Obs.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Graal, II. 156. From that there cam a roser ful stronge … As on tre owt of anothir scholde alyht.
II. Referring chiefly to the result: To land.
4. To get down from a horse or conveyance; to dismount or descend for the time; to finish one’s ride, stop.
1205. Layam., 26618. Heo letten alle þa horsmen i þan wude alihten.
a. 1300. Floriz & Bl., 21. At þe selue huse hi buþ aliȝt Þat blauncheflur was þat oþer niȝt.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Clerkes T., 925. Abouten undern gan this erl alight.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccxliv. 300. They come rydyng thurgh the Cyte of london vnto seynt poules and ther they alyght.
1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, IV. i. 101. That if occasion be offered, euery mounted souldier may alight.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., II. ix. 87. Madam, there is a-lighted at your gate, A yong Venetian.
1659. in Rushw., Hist. Coll., I. 77. Being alighted at the Palace-gate.
1678. Yng. Mans Call., 364. She was fain to alite under a hedge, and there to trim her self as well as she could.
1742. Richardson, Pamela, III. 351. We alighted, and walked a little way.
1824. Dibdin, Libr. Comp., 224. He happens to alight at an inn.
1872. Jenkinson, Eng. Lakes (1879), 200. On alighting at the Threlkeld station cross the line.
† b. To stop in a course or journey, to arrive. Obs. rare.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., I. xii. 25. Fast before the king he did alight.
† 5. gen. To go or come down, to descend. Obs.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 79. Þes Mon þhet a lihte from ierusalem in to ierico.
a. 1230. Ancr. R., 248. God Almihti … alihte adun to helle.
c. 1260. Signs bef. Judgem., in E. E. P. (1862), 7. Þe grace of ihsu … mote a mang vs nuþe aliȝte.
c. 1320. Cast. Love, 653. He … That from hevyn to erthe alyȝht.
a. 1420. Occleve, De Reg. Princ., 1141. Right as she made me clymbe on hight … so she may make me alight.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour, g viij b. As soone as she was a lyght out of her child bedde.
6. To descend and settle, to land on one’s feet anywhere (and so contrasted with falling); hence, to land on a spot by floating, flying, or falling lightly, as a bird from the wing, a snow-flake, etc.
1297. R. Glouc., 433. After þat our Lorde was in hys moder alyȝt.
c. 1314. Guy Warw., 270. Opon Sir Gy, that gentil knight, Ywis, mi love is alle alight.
c. 1320. Cast. Love, 1291. Þulke God alle þing dihte Þat in þe swete Mayden alihte.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, xii. 208. Goddis sone of hevene, That into þe maide alyhte.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., I. iii. 20. The heavie hap, which on them is alight.
1816. J. Wilson, City of Plague, II. ii. 192. A wondrous bird That ne’er alights to fold her wings.
1818. Byron, Mazeppa, xviii. I saw his wing through twilight flit, And once so near me he alit.
a. 1849. Poe, Angel of Odd, Wks. 1864, IV. 308. I alit upon my feet.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. § 18. 124. A grey cloud alighted on the shoulder of the Lyskamm.
7. To fall (on or upon) as a blow, or projectile, to descend and strike. arch.
c. 1300. in Wright, Pop. Sc., 136. No wonder þeȝ hit smite harde þer hit doþ aliȝte.
1697. Dryden, Æneid, II. 553 (J.).
| But Storms of Stones, from the proud Temple’s height, | |
| Pour down, and on our batter’d Helms alight. |
1824. Wiffen, Tasso’s Jerus. Deliv., XI. xxxv. A huge round rock … upon his crown Alit, and rudely beat the’ heroic soldier down.
8. To land, fall, or come upon anything without design; to light upon. rare.
1858. Froude, Hist. Eng., IV. 549. By good fortune … I alighted on a collection of MSS. in the State Paper Office.
