[f. LIGHT v.1 + -ING1. In OE. líhting.]
† 1. Alleviation, relief. Obs.
c. 1000. Laws of Edgar, III. c. 2 (Schmid). Gif þæt riht to hefiʓ sy, sece siððan þa lihtinge to þam cynge.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 27066. Þat strength es o gret ligthing, quen man has casten his birthing o sin.
c. 1460. Play Sacram., 789. Ye haste sent me lyghtyng yt late was lame.
1502. Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W., 1506), V. iii. 385. Nor truste not for euer to haue socours ne lyghtynge.
2. Descent; dismounting; alighting: also with down.
1350–1425. Cursor M., 13822 (Trin.). Þe aungels liȝtyng [Cott. þe angel lightand; Gött. þe angel lighting (vbl. sb., not pple.)] þere bood I.
c. 1430. Syr Gener. (Roxb.), 6373. Mirabel … made hir ladie forto light. Of that lighting Jewel was woo.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, II. 399. Wallace with that, at his lychtin, him drew.
1506. in Paston Lett., III. 405. At the lyghtyng the Kyng of Castylle was of his hors a good space or owr Kyng was a lyght.
1611. Bible, Isa. xxx. 30. The Lord shall … shew the lighting downe of his arme.
1615. W. Lawson, Country Housew. Garden (1626), 22. To auoid the lighting of Crowes, Pyes, &c. vpon your grafts.
1665. Boyle, Occas. Refl., Table Contents, Upon the Mounting, Singing, and Lighting of Larks.
1746. Hervey, Medit. (1818), 41. The lighting down of the grasshopper is a burden on the bending shoulders.
3. attrib., as lighting-place (used spec. with reference to bees).
1609. C. Butler, Fem. Mon., i. A 2 b. If … she [the queen-bee] dislike the weather, or lighting place, they quickly returne home againe.
1727. Bradley, Fam. Dict., s.v. Bee.
1759. Brown, Compleat Farmer, 94. When your swarm hath made choice of a lighting-place.
