Alight

/əˈlaɪt/ · verb

Meaning

(transitive, also figuratively, obsolete) To make less heavy; to lighten; to alleviate, to relieve..

Definitions by Sense

1. (transitive, also figuratively, obsolete) To make less heavy; to lighten; to alleviate, to relieve.
2. Often followed by from or off: to get off an animal which one has been riding; to dismount; to descend or exit from a vehicle; hence, to complete one's journey; to stop.
3. Often followed by at, on, or upon: of something aloft: to descend and settle; to land, to lodge, to rest.
4. To come down or go down; to descend.
5. Often followed by on or upon: of a blow, something thrown, etc.: to land heavily.
6. Often followed by on or upon: to find by accident; to chance upon, to come upon.
7. To arrive.
8. To cast light on (something); to illuminate, to light up.

Example Sentences

He alighted from his horse.

Passengers are alighting from the carriage.

Madam, there is a-lighted at your gate / A yong Venetian, one that comes before / To ſignifie th'approaching of his Lord, / From whom he bringeth ſenſible regreets; […]

He that neuer alights off a rich Farmer or country Gentleman, till he haue drawne money from him, is called The Snaffle.

The Horſemen all alighted, and the footmen taking Don Quixote and Sancho forcibly in their Armes, they ſet them in the Court, […]

The Coach ſet us down by the Side of a large Common, about five Miles diſtant from our Houſe; and we alighted, and walked a little Way, chuſing not to have the Coach come nearer, that we might be taken as little Notice of as poſſible; […]

[M]aking as if he would have alighted from off his horſe, as he was poiſing himſelf on the mounting ſide, he moſt nimbly (with his ſhort ſword by his thigh) ſhifting his feet in the ſtirrup and performing the ſtirrup-leather feat, whereby, after the inclining of this body downwards, he forthwith launched himſelf aloft into the air, and placed both his feet together upon the ſaddle, ſtanding upright, with his back turned towards his horſe's head,— […]

What courſe to take, whether to proceed or retreat, we could not tell; but it was not long before the wolves themſelves made us come to a reſolution: […] [D]eſiring them to alight, we ſtood in a triangle, or three fronts, encloſing our horſes in the centre, the only place where we could preſerve them.

Synonyms for alight

Antonyms for alight

Related Words

Word Forms

• alights
• alighting
• alighted
• alit
• no-table-tags
• glossary
• alight
• alightest
• alightedst
• alighteth
• -

Usage Notes

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