lighten
Definitions
To make or become brighter
使变亮；变明亮
To make or become less heavy
减轻；变轻
To make or become more cheerful or relaxed
使轻松；缓和
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedlight + -en (make) — but because light has two ancestors, lighten inherits both: 'make brighter' (lighten the sky) and 'make less heavy' (lighten the load). Context picks the branch. It also extends to mood: lighten up = take things less seriously (the weight sense).
Root light still carries 58 more wordsWhy It Means This
lighten is the clearest place to see light's split personality at work: the exact same verb can describe a sunrise (brightness) and unloading a truck (weight). English never separated the two Old English roots, so this one word does both jobs.
Common Collocations
- 1.lighten the load减轻负担
- 2.lighten the mood缓和气氛
- 3.lighten up放轻松
- 4.lighten the burden减轻负担
Example Sentences
- 1.
A fresh coat of white paint will lighten the whole room.
- 2.
They sold the piano to lighten the load before moving.
- 3.
His joke lightened the tense mood in the meeting.
Easily Confused
lighten vs lightning vs lightening — lighten is the verb (make light). lightning (no -e-) is the flash in a storm. lightening (with -e-) is the -ing form of lighten. Storm flash = lightning; making brighter/lighter = lightening.