Forms: 4 liȝtne, lyȝtne, liȝten, -on, -yn, 5 lyȝtnyn, lyghtenyn, (lithnyn), liȝtny, lighton, liȝthon, lyten, 4–6 lyghten, 6 Sc. lichtin, lychtin, 3– lighten. [f. LIGHT a.2 + -EN5.]
1. trans. To shed light upon; to give light to; to make bright or luminous; to light up, brighten, Also fig. or in fig. context.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 18600. Þe dai bitakens þe ded of him þat lightend [Fairf. liȝtened] has ur ded sa dim.
a. 1340. Hampole, Ps. lxvi. 1. God … lighten his face on vs [Vulg. illuminet vultum suum].
1382. Wyclif, Rev. xxi. 23. The cleerte of God shal liȝten [1388 liȝtne] it.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Frankl. T., 322. Hir desir Is to be quyked and lightned of youre fir [v.rr. lyghtenyd, liȝtned, lighted].
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xxv. 117. Þis charbuncle lightnez all þe chaumbre on þe nyght.
1502. Atkynson, trans. De Imitatione, III. xlviii. 235. Than shall Iherusalem be lyghtened & enserched with lanternes & lyghtes.
1530. Palsgr., 611/2. I lyghten, I fyll or store a place with lyght, je enlumine.
1563. Winȝet, Wks. (1890), II. 77. Sanct Xistus the Pape, quha now rycht wirschepful lychtnis [L. illustrat] the Roman Kirk.
1588. Spenser, Virg. Gnat, 341. Lightned with deadly lamps on everie post.
1666. Dryden, Ann. Mirab., ccxxxi. A key of fire ran all along the shore And lightened all the river with a blaze.
1766. Entick, London, IV. 7. The body of the church is lightened by a series of … arched windows.
1860. Pusey, Min. Proph., 348. The darkness of the captivity was lightened by the light of the prophetic grace which shone through Daniel and Ezekiel.
1880. E. White, Cert. Relig., 32. That Lord of theirs who lightens the earth with his glory.
1887. Hall Caine, Deemster, x. 65. Pavement of deep black, lightened only by the image of a star.
b. To cause (the countenance or looks) to light up with lively expression, etc. Also intr. for pass. of the face, eyes, etc.
1795. Gentl. Mag., 544/1. To lighten up the clouded countenances of a dull society.
1856. Kane, Arct. Expl., II. xvi. 175. The gloom of several countenances was perceptibly lightened.
1867. ‘Ouida,’ C. Castlemaine (1879), 9. The beauty, whose eyes he had seen lighten and proud brow flush.
1890. ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Col. Reformer (1891), 168. His eye lightened, and the old gleam of pride … spoke from it.
† 2. In Biblical lang.: To remove blindness or dimness from (the eyes); to restore sight to. Obs.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter xviii. 9. Þe comaundment of lord shynand, lightenand eghen.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., IV. pr. iv. 99 (Camb. MS.). They ben lyke to bryddes of which the nyht lyhtneth hir lookynge.
1388. Wyclif, Tobit xiv. 1. Aftir that he was liȝtned he lyuede two and fourti ȝeer.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., xlvi. 195 (Harl. MS.). Þenne whenne þou ert vp Risen fro slepe of synne, and art I-litenyd, & mayste see.
1535. Coverdale, Ps. xii[i]. 3. Lighten myne eyes, that I slepe not in death.
3. To shed spiritual light upon; to enlighten or illuminate spiritually. arch.
1395. Purvey, Remonstr. (1851), 63. Othere bisshopis ben more lightnid of God in kunnynge and holynesse.
c. 1440. Hylton, Scala Perf. (W. de W., 1494), II. xxx. He lyghtned her reason & kyndeled her affeccion.
1502. Atkynson, trans. De Imitatione, I. xiv. 163. It shalbe longe or thou be gostly lyghtned.
1548–9. (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Collect St. John Evang., Beeyng lyghtened by the doctryne of thy blessed Apostle and Euangelyste John.
1549. Coverdale, etc., Erasm. Par. Rom. 23. The holy psalme wryter Dauid lightened with the spirite of god.
1550. Hutchinson, Image of God, xviii. (1560), 94. The man which falleth after he is lightened, is not without al possibilitie of amendement.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., II. i. 208. Now the Lord lighten thee, thou art a great Foole.
1609. Bible (Douay), Ezek. xliii. comm., Al the world is lightned by the preaching of Christs Apostles.
1682. Bunyan, Holy War, 180. Oh! how they were lightened! they saw what they never saw.
1840. I. Williams, Hymn, ‘O heavenly Jerusalem.’ To Christ the Sun that lightens His Church above, below.
† 4. To kindle, ignite; = LIGHT v.2 2. Obs.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter, xvii. 31. Þou lightnys my lantern.
a. 1400. Prymer (1801), 46. Liȝtne the fier of thi loue in hem.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, xv. 58. Venus lyghtened the torches for to receyue hiemen the god of weddynge.
a. 1568. Ascham, Scholem. (Arb.), 56. Who haue had in so fewe yeares the Candel of Goddes worde so oft lightned, so oft put out.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1650), III. 8. As one Taper lightneth another.
5. intr. To shine, flash, burn brightly; to be or grow luminous, to glow with light.
1382. Wyclif, Gen. i. 15. And liȝtne thei in the firmament of heuene and liȝtne thei the erthe.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 4630. With a launchant laite lightonyd the water.
a. 1611. Beaum. & Fl., Maid’s Trag., I. ii. The east begins to lighten.
1665. Boyle, Occas. Refl., 222. The Blood that lightens in their Cheeks.
1715–20. Pope, Iliad, X. 155. His steely lance, that lighten’d as he pass’d.
1813. Scott, Rokeby, I. xxix. He will wait the hour, When her lamp lightens in the tower.
1854. H. Miller, Sch. & Schm. (1858), 350. The low-browed clouds … that lightened and darkened by fits as the flames rose and fell.
1871. Swinburne, Songs bef. Sunrise, Prelude, 120. Her mystic face Lightened along the streams of Thrace.
b. To shine like light on. (Cf. quot. 1548–9 under LIGHTEN v.1 5.)
1814. Cary, Dante, Par., xxvii. 88. From her radiant smiles,… pleasure so divine Did lighten on me [orig. 95 lo piacer divin che mi rifulse].
6. To flash lightning, to emit flashes of lightning. Chiefly impers.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 304/1. Lyghtenyn, or leuenyn (K. lithnyn, as levyn), coruscat.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, VII. xxxi. It lyghtned and thondred as it had ben woode.
1555. Eden, Decades, 244. The heauen neuer ceased thunderyng rorynge & lyghtenynge with terrible noyse.
1611. Bible, Luke xvii. 24. As the lightning that lighteneth out of the one part vnder heauen, shineth vnto the other part vnder heauen.
a. 1637. B. Jonson, Underwoods, Elegy, ‘’Tis true, I’m broke.’ God lightens not at mans each fraile offence.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 351. Two of the men … cried out, it lightened. One said, he saw the flash.
1814. Scott, Wav., xviii. It may thunder and lighten before the close of evening.
1819. Byron, Juan, I. clviii. Her dark eyes flashing through their tears Like skies that rain and lighten.
1896. A. E. Housman, Shropshire Lad, l. Where doomsday may thunder and lighten And little ’twill matter to one.
fig. 1722. Mrs. E. Haywood, Brit. Recluse (ed. 2), 132. Scorn lighten’d in her Glances!
7. trans. To cause to flash out or forth; to send down as lightning. (lit. and fig.)
c. 1586. C’tess Pembroke, Ps. LXIX. x. Lighten indignation downe.
1589. Greene, Menaphon (Arb.), 27. Shee lightened out smiles from those cheekes. Ibid. (c. 1590), Fr. Bacon (1630), A 2. Her sparkling eyes Doe lighten forth sweet Loues alluring fire.
1592. Daniel, Compl. Rosamond, 11, Wks. (1717), 44. How that thy King … Lightens forth Glory on thy dark Estate.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., III. iii. 69. Behold his Eye (As bright as is the Eagles) lightens forth Controlling Maiestie.
1627. Lisander & Cal., V. 87. Calista nourished an enemy in her house, who lightened forth … miserable effects in small time after.
Lighten, obs. pa. pple. of LIGHT v.1
