alight en · VERB · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- (General-American) audio
- ə-līt' (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
- /əˈlaɪt/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
From Middle English alighten (“to descend from a place: to dismount, get off; to descend to a place: to arrive or stop (at a place); to land; to drop; to attack; of lightning: to strike; to leap on to, mount; to descend in rank; to cause (someone) to lose rank; to come forth, spring from; to alleviate, relieve; (Christianity) of Jesus: to come down to earth from heaven, become incarnate; to descend (to hell); of the Holy Spirit, angels, miracles, etc.: to descend (from heaven); to descend (upon someone); to appear in a place”) [and other forms], from a merger of: * Old English ālīhtan (“to alight, dismount”), from ā- (prefix meaning ‘away, from, off, out’) + līhtan, līehtan (“to descend, alight, light; to make easy or light, alleviate, lighten, relieve”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁lengʷʰ- (“not heavy, light”); and * Old English ġelīhtan (“to descend; to come down, dismount; to make easy or light, alleviate, lighten, relieve”), from ġe- (intensifying prefix, attached to verbs to indicate completeness or perfection) + līhtan, līehtan (see above). The English word is analyzable as a- (prefix meaning ‘away, from, off, out’) + light (“to ease, lighten; to take off; to unload; to dismount; (archaic) to come down, land; to dismount”). Cognates * Middle Low German erlichten (“to lighten”) * Old High German gilīhten (“to make less heavy, lighten”) (Middle High German gelīhten); Old High German irlīhten (“to alleviate”) (Middle High German erlīhten, modern German erleichten)
Meanings
- (also, figuratively, obsolete, transitive) To make less heavy; to lighten; to alleviate, to relieve.
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(intransitive) 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.
He alighted from his horse.
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.
1777, [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Most Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], 7th edition, London: […] S. Crowder, […]; J. Sewell, […]; W. Johnston, […]; and B. Law, […], →OCLC, page 177:Now when he had reached the King's capital wherein was Alaeddin, he alighted at one of the Kháns; and, when he had rested from the weariness of wayfare, he donned his dress and went down to wander about the streets, where he never passed a group without hearing them prate about the pavilion and its grandeur and vaunt the beauty of Alaeddin and his lovesomeness, his liberality and generosity, his fine manners and his good morals.
1887, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, “Alaeddin; or, The Wonderful Lamp”, in Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], Shammar edition, volume III, [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC, page 157:He that neuer alights off a rich Farmer or country Gentleman, till he haue drawne money from him, is called The Snaffle.
1609, Thomas Dekker, “Lanthorne and Candle-light. Or, The Bell-man’s Second Nights-walke. […] The Second Edition, […]: Rancke-riders, the Manner of Cozening Inn-keepers, Post-maisters and Hackny-men”, in Alexander B[alloch] Grosart, editor, The Non-dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker. […] (The Huth Library), volume III, London; Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire: […] [Hazell, Watson, & Viney] for private circulation only, published 1885, →OCLC, page 251: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; […]
c. 1596–1598 (date written), W[illiam] Shakespeare, The Excellent History of the Merchant of Venice. […] (First Quarto), [London]: […] J[ames] Roberts [for Thomas Heyes], published 1600, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ix]: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; […]
1742, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter XXXVII”, in Pamela: Or, Virtue Rewarded. […], volume III, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; and sold by C[harles] Rivington, […]; and J. Osborn, […], →OCLC, page 351:The Horſemen all alighted, and the footmen taking Don Quixote and Sancho forcibly in their Armes, they ſet them in the Court, […]
1620, [Miguel de Cervantes], “Of the Nevvest and Strangest Aduenture, that in All the Course of This History Befell Don Quixote”, in Thomas Shelton, transl., The Second Part of the History of the Valorous and Witty Knight-errant, Don Quixote of the Mancha. […], London: […] [Eliot’s Court Press] for Edward Blount, →OCLC, page 461:[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,— […]
1762, [Laurence Sterne], chapter XXIX, in The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, volume V, London: […] T. Becket and P. A. Dehondt, […], →OCLC, pages 103–104:Dashing back to my compartment, I grabbed my impedimenta—what my companion thought of the maniac who alighted at a station only half-way to the first booked stop I don't know!—got out, hurried under the subway, and was into my 10.45 comfortably before its departure.
1939 June, “Pertinent Paragraphs: A Surprise at Didcot”, in The Railway Magazine, Westminster, London: IPC Transport Press, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 452:Passengers are alighting from the carriage.
That, combined with the fact that I alight with only four or five other passengers, is a sad reminder of how most people continue to choose to travel to this far-flung corner of the UK.
2021 November 3, Paul Stephen, “As Far North as You Can Go … to Thurso”, in Rail, number 943, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 49:
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(also, figuratively, intransitive) Often followed by at, on, or upon: of something aloft: to descend and settle; to land, to lodge, to rest.
I saw the expecting raven fly, / Who scarce would wait till both should die, / Ere his repast begun; / He flew, and perch'd, then flew once more, / And each time nearer than before; / I saw his wing through twilight flit, / And once so near me he alit / I could have smote, but lack'd the strength; […]
1819, Lord Byron, Mazeppa, a Poem, London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, stanza XVIII, pages 41–42, lines 770–777:In 1851 the Great Northern Railway had reached London and began operating into a terminus at Maiden Lane, just north of the New Road [later renamed Euston Road]. In 1854 they moved up to the New Road itself, with the opening of King's Cross station, east of Euston. The railways were alighting on the New Road like birds perching on a branch (the Midland Railway would open St Pancras, between Euston and King's Cross in 1868), and [Charles] Pearson took note.
2012, Andrew Martin, “The World of Charles Pearson”, in Underground Overground: A Passenger’s History of the Tube, paperback edition, London: Profile Books, published 2013, →ISBN, page 25:That elf-maiden smote with her hand so white, “Sorrow and sickness on thee alight” That elf-maiden smote with her cap so small, “No more shall priest's benison on thee fall!”
1847 September 11, William J. Thoms, “The Folk-lore of Shakespeare”, in The Athenaeum, London, page 958, column 1:Then from his loftie ſtand on that high Tree / Down he alights among the ſportful Herd / Of thoſe fourfooted kindes, himſelf now one, […]
1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 395–397:A flying bird alights upon a tree.
His fearefull freends vveare out the vvofull night, / Ne dare to vveepe, nor ſeeme to vnderſtand / The heauie hap, vvhich on them is alight, / Affraid, leaſt to themſelues the like miſhappen might.
1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto III”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 20, page 38:Snow alights on a roof.
The wounded Bird, e'er yet ſhe breath'd her laſt, / With flagging Wings alighted on the Maſt, / A Moment hung, and ſpread her Pinions there, / Then ſudden dropt, and left her Life in Air.
1720, Homer, “Book XXIII”, in Alexander Pope, transl., The Iliad of Homer, volume VI, London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC, pages 108–109, lines 1038–1041:
- (archaic, intransitive) To come down or go down; to descend.
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(archaic, intransitive) Often followed by on or upon: of a blow, something thrown, etc.: to land heavily.
But ſtorms of Stones, from the proud Temple's height, / Pour down, and on our batter'd Helms alight.
1697, Virgil, “The Second Book of the Æneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 251, lines 555–556:
- (figuratively, intransitive) Often followed by on or upon: to find by accident; to chance upon, to come upon.
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(intransitive, obsolete) To arrive.
Madam, heres a pretty hanſome ſtripling, nevv alight, / Enquires for Don Antonio.
1626 February 19 (date licensed; Gregorian calendar), Iames Shirley [i.e., James Shirley], The Maides Revenge. A Tragedy. […], London: […] T[homas] C[otes] for William Cooke, […], published 1639, →OCLC, Act II:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| alighted | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| alighted | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| alighting | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| alit | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| alit | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| alights | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Relateds
Synonyms
get off · alighten · unlight · debark · get out · alighten · light · disembark
Translations (61)
hu leszáll (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · ca baixar (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · et maha tulema (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · ja 降りる (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · mi tau (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · et väljuma (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · ja 降車 (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · cs vystoupit (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · uk схо́дити (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · bg сли́зам (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · mi whakaeke (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · bg сля́за (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · bg сгромоля́сам се (of a blow, something thrown, etc.: to land heavily) · ga tuirling (of something aloft: to descend and settle — see also land, lodge, rest, stop) · ru спе́шиваться (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · hu rászáll (of something aloft: to descend and settle — see also land, lodge, rest, stop) · hu akad (to find by accident — see also chance upon, come upon) · es posarse (of something aloft: to descend and settle — see also land, lodge, rest, stop) · ru приземля́ться (of something aloft: to descend and settle — see also land, lodge, rest, stop) · uk спі́шуватися (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · ro coborî (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · ru вы́йти (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · hu bukkan (to find by accident — see also chance upon, come upon) · sv stiga av (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · fi törmätä (to find by accident — see also chance upon, come upon) · mi tau (of something aloft: to descend and settle — see also land, lodge, rest, stop) · bg сгромоля́свам се (of a blow, something thrown, etc.: to land heavily) · eo elŝipiĝi (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · bg су́рна се (of a blow, something thrown, etc.: to land heavily) · hu rábukkan (to find by accident — see also chance upon, come upon) · bg ка́цам (of something aloft: to descend and settle — see also land, lodge, rest, stop) · uk спі́шитися (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · fi laskeutua (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · bg попа́дна на (to find by accident — see also chance upon, come upon) · uk зійти́ (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · fi asettua (of something aloft: to descend and settle — see also land, lodge, rest, stop) · pt pousar (of something aloft: to descend and settle — see also land, lodge, rest, stop) · mi makere (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · bg попа́дам на (to find by accident — see also chance upon, come upon) · ru выходи́ть (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · ga tuirling (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · ru приземли́ться (of something aloft: to descend and settle — see also land, lodge, rest, stop) · bg су́рвам се (of a blow, something thrown, etc.: to land heavily) · hu kiszáll (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · hu leszáll (of something aloft: to descend and settle — see also land, lodge, rest, stop) · vi xuống xe (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · sv slå ner sig (of something aloft: to descend and settle — see also land, lodge, rest, stop) · pt desembarcar (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · eo deĉevaliĝi (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · pt descer (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · bg ка́цна (of something aloft: to descend and settle — see also land, lodge, rest, stop) · de aussteigen (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · cs vysednout (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · es bajarse (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · es apearse (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · ru спе́шиться (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · cs sesednout (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · es aterrizar (of something aloft: to descend and settle — see also land, lodge, rest, stop) · nl uitstappen (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · el κατεβαίνω (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle) · nl afstappen (to get off an animal which one has been riding; to descend or exit from a vehicle)