Lightening
/ˈlaɪtnɪŋ/
Definitions
2 meaningsTo make or become less heavy or less dark.
/ˈlaɪtnɪŋ/
To become or make something lighter in weight or color.
The artist used a special technique to lighten the colors of the painting.
💡 Simply: Imagine your backpack is super heavy. Lightening means making it less heavy, like taking out some books. It's about reducing the weight or making something less intense.
👶 For kids: To make something weigh less or be less dark.
More Examples
As the storm passed, the sky began to lighten.
How It's Used
"She is lightening her hair."
"The farmers are lightening the load of the truck to make the trip easier."
To make or become brighter, often by adding light.
/ˈlaɪtnɪŋ/
To illuminate or make something brighter.
The flash of the camera quickly lightened the scene.
💡 Simply: Imagine you turn on a lamp in a dark room. Lightening here is like making things brighter! It's about adding light or making something clearer.
👶 For kids: To make something brighter by adding light.
More Examples
As dawn approached, the sky started lightening.
How It's Used
"The sun began lightening the sky."
"The scientist is lightening the lab to observe the experiments."
Synonyms
Derived from the verb "lighten," which comes from the Old English word "lihtan" meaning "to make lighter" or "to illuminate." The -ing suffix indicates an ongoing action or process.
The word "lighten" (and thus "lightening") has been used since the Old English period, originally referring to making things less heavy. The sense of making something brighter developed later.
Memory tip
Think of lightening the load of a ship to make it float higher.