Dictionary

lightning en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• [ˈlʌɪ̯ʔ.nɪŋ] (General-American)
• /ˈlaɪt.nɪŋ/
• [ˈlɐɪ̯ʔ.nɪŋ] (General-American)
• (US) audio Audio (US)
• /ˈlaɪt.nɪŋ/ (General-American)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From light(e)n + -ing. Doublet of lightening.

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Extremely fast or sudden; moving (as if) at the speed of lightning.
   • The insurgents then began their lightning advance along the Euphrates in the Sunni heartland toward Baghdad. 2018, Nader Uskowi, Temperature Rising, page 69:

Relateds

🌩️ · ⚡ · ⛈️

Translations (10)

pl błyskawiczny (extremely fast) · pl błyskawicowy (extremely fast) · mn цахилгаан (extremely fast) · ru молниено́сный (extremely fast) · fi salamannopea (extremely fast) · el αστραπιαίος (extremely fast) · pt veloz (extremely fast) · hu villámgyors (extremely fast) · bg светкавичен (extremely fast) · el κεραυνοβόλος (extremely fast)

lightning en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• [ˈlʌɪ̯ʔ.nɪŋ] (General-American)
• /ˈlaɪt.nɪŋ/
• [ˈlɐɪ̯ʔ.nɪŋ] (General-American)
• (US) audio Audio (US)
• /ˈlaɪt.nɪŋ/ (General-American)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From light(e)n + -ing. Doublet of lightening.

Meanings

1. (uncountable, usually) A flash of light produced by short-duration, high-voltage discharge of electricity within a cloud, between clouds, or between a cloud and the earth.
   • Although we did not see the lightning, we did hear the thunder.
   • Manny drove a few miles per hour under the speed limit, entranced by the awesome display of lightning streaking out of the clouds toward earth. 2008, Kathy Clark, Stand By Your Man, page 280:
   • Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are? 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Job 38:35:
   • It was the thought of hot July and August days, when the clouds piled up like woolly mountains, and lightnings streaked the sky. 1901, E. L. Morris, The Child's Eden, page 16:
   • Between 8 and 9 p.m., the recorder at a meteorological station at Harrow, Middlesex, picked up 1,470 lightning flashes within a radius of 10 to 15 miles, and observers at the station described the storm as "probably one of the most spectacular of the century." 1958 November 14, “Storm Damage in the Home Counties”, in Railway Magazine, page 746:
   • "Ruu": The adults in the village all said that children like me could calm the lightning and turn the storms into timely rain. 2021 October 13, Genshin Impact, v2.2, miHoYo, iOS, Android, Windows, PS4, level/area: The Sun-Wheel and Mt. Kanna:
2. (uncountable, usually) A discharge of this kind.
   • The rain at length ceased; and the lightnings, as they played along the black parapet of clouds, that lay piled in the east, shone with less dazzling fierceness, […] 1881, Daniel Pierce Thompson, The Green Mountain Boys, page 281:
   • That tree was hit by lightning.
   • The lightning was hot enough to melt the sand.
   • Auster and Aquilon with winged Steeds All ſweating, tilt about the watery heauens, With ſhiuering ſpeares enforcing thunderclaps, And from their ſhields ſtrike flames of lightening c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act III, scene ii:
3. (figuratively, uncountable, usually) Anything that moves very fast.
   • Nobs, though, was lightning by comparison with the slow thinking beast and dodged his opponent's thrust with ease. Then he raced to the rear of the tremendous thing and seized it by the tail. 1918 September–November, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “The Land That Time Forgot”, in The Blue Book Magazine, Chicago, Ill.: Story-press Corp., →OCLC; republished as chapter V, in Hugo Gernsback, editor, Amazing Stories, (please specify |part=I to III), New York, N.Y.: Experimenter Publishing, 1927, →OCLC:
4. (archaic, slang, uncountable, usually) Gin.
   • I took some gin but it did little to calm my mood. […] 'Come now, Bess,' she entreated, and poured another glass of lightning. 'Tell your old mother everything.' I took a gulp of the spirit, then babbled all, showing her the loot now in my possession. 2017, Jake Arnott, The Fatal Tree:
5. (alt-of, obsolete, uncountable, usually) Obsolete form of lightening.
   alt of lightening

Forms

Coordinates

thunderbolt · thunder · fulgural

Deriveds

ride the lightning · bead lightning · heat lightning · lightning war · Chicago lightning · lightning never strikes twice in the same place · lightning storm · lightning talk · lightning doesn't strike twice in the same place · lightning bolt · lightning in a bottle · fork lightning · lightning chess · lightninglike · thunder and lightning · lightning bruiser · globe lightning · lightning mapper · globular lightning · quick as lightning · lightning beetle · lightning protection system · lightning discharger · chain lightning · white lightning · lightning carrier · lightning crotch · IC lightning · lightning round · lightningproof · lightning does not strike twice in the same place · CG lightning · lightning bird · Jersey lightning · sheet lightning · lightning rod · superlightning · lightning never strikes twice · upward lightning · spider lightning · dry lightning · lightning speed · lightning strike · forked lightning · lightning bug · lightning arrester · scarlet lightning · Jewish lightning · lightning-quick · lightning fast · lightningly · fossilized lightning · ball lightning · lightning detector · lightning conductor · fast as lightning · like lightning · volcanic lightning · greased lightning · lightning sketch

Translations (455)

chr ᎠᎾᎦᎵᏍᎩ (flash of light) · ast rellámpagu (flash of light) · ota شمشك (flash of light) · hi विद्युत (flash of light) · sne kuning (flash of light) · ccc yaple'ti (flash of light) · myv ёндол (flash of light) · mwp pœnipan (flash of light) · da lynnedslag (discharge) · ajp برق (flash of light) · nv atsiniltłʼish (flash of light) · ckt йынӄэргат (flash of light) · ml ഇടിവെട്ട് (flash of light) · pam kildap (flash of light) · hi वज्रपात (flash of light) · nn lynljos (flash of light) · ms kilat (flash of light) · uk бли́скавка (flash of light) · alu 'aiwanawana (flash of light) · sn mheni (flash of light) · mk молскавица (flash of light) · rm sajetta (discharge) · tt яшен (flash of light) · txb wasir (flash of light) · nl bliksem (discharge) · mba kilat (flash of light) · oc fólzer (discharge) · tet mamera (flash of light) · ja 雷 (flash of light) · sv ljungeld (flash of light) · eu tximistargi (flash of light) · ckb برووسک (flash of light) · mn аянга (flash of light) · no lyn (flash of light) · pt raio (discharge) · hi दामिनी (discharge) · akk 𒉏𒄈 (flash of light) · ilo kimat (flash of light) · ml മിന്നല് (flash of light) · te మెరుపు (flash of light) · ksk galéleze (flash of light) · gl lóstrego (discharge) · de Blitz (flash of light) · fur saete (flash of light) · gur sa-yãka (flash of light) · oc lamp (flash of light) · bal گروک (flash of light) · si අකුණු (flash of light) · ko 벼락 (flash of light) · nl bliksem (flash of light) · it folgore (flash of light) · nrf écllaer (flash of light) · fa-ira آذَرَخْش (flash of light) · km ផ្លេកបន្ទោរ (flash of light) · nl weerlicht (discharge) · ka ელვა (flash of light) · tl kidlat (flash of light) · th วิเชียร (flash of light) · egy s-Sd:d-I3-sbA:Z1 (flash of light) · sei æɑmxʷ (flash of light) · nn lynlys (flash of light) · ext rayu (flash of light) · hi दामिनी (flash of light) · az şimşək (flash of light) · grc ἀστραπή (flash of light) · la fulgur (flash of light) · dng дянгуон (flash of light) · cad kǝhaudíːn-unǝ (flash of light) · arw belebeliru (flash of light) · sh munja (flash of light) · sa वज्र (flash of light) · mrw kilat (flash of light) · jv kilat (flash of light) · gl raio (discharge) · hu villámlás (discharge) · nrf epar (flash of light) · par kuttapito'eh (flash of light) · es fucilazo (flash of light) · lv zibens (discharge) · oj waasamowin (flash of light) · rif řbarq (flash of light) · sn kupenya (flash of light) · ab а-фы (flash of light) · el αστραπή (flash of light) · fy bliksem (flash of light) · gu વિદ્યુત (flash of light) · ti በርቂ (flash of light) · sc lampu (flash of light) · fa-ira صاعِقِه (flash of light) · tg озарахш (flash of light) · sq vetëtim (flash of light) · oc ulhauç (flash of light) · bo གློག (flash of light) · nb lyn (flash of light) · bn বজ্র (flash of light) · nah tlapetlantli (flash of light) · xmf ტყვაცი (flash of light) · yi בליץ (flash of light) · ckb تریشقە (flash of light) · pt corisco (discharge) · cv ҫиҫӗм (flash of light) · lv zibens (flash of light) · lmw kélip (flash of light) · zku karntu (flash of light) · yag tumutušu (flash of light) · os арвырттывд (flash of light) · th ฟ้าแลบ (flash of light) · sa विद्युत् (flash of light) · es rayo (discharge) · sh blesak (flash of light) · moh tewennineˀkarahwanyonˀs (flash of light) · ug چېقىن (flash of light) · ady пкӏыкӏэ (flash of light) · no lynglimt (flash of light) · mnc ᡨ᠋ᠠᠯᡴᡳᠶᠠᠨ (flash of light) · no blink (flash of light) · kk нажағай (flash of light) · twf upę́lena (flash of light) · ar بَرْق (flash of light) · bn বাজ (flash of light) · hi विद्युत (discharge) · cmn 閃電 /闪电 (discharge) · nys babaginy (flash of light) · njo-jgl tsüngpret (flash of light) · wa aloumire (flash of light) · el κεραυνός (discharge) · ill kilat (flash of light) · lis ꓟꓶꓽ ꓐꓬꓱꓼ (flash of light) · rm chametg (flash of light) · bg мъ́лния (flash of light) · prs گُرْز (flash of light) · hy շանթ (flash of light) · nv atsiniltłʼish (discharge) · is elding (flash of light) · id kilat (flash of light) · mww xob laim (flash of light) · rsk блїскавка (flash of light) · vo lelit (flash of light) · pon lioal (flash of light) · bcl kikilat (flash of light) · ist foûlmini (flash of light) · ace kilat (flash of light) · ia fulmine (flash of light) · pl grom (flash of light) · lt žaibas (flash of light) · vec s-ciantixo (flash of light) · gur yãka (flash of light) · tk ýyldyrym (flash of light) · az ildırım (flash of light) · tyz fạ mjẹp (flash of light) · ga tintreach (flash of light) · gl lóstrego (flash of light) · iu ᑲᓪᓕᑕᖅ (flash of light) · hy կայծակ (flash of light) · co saetta (flash of light) · aer alharrkentye (flash of light) · ps برېښنا (flash of light) · wa aloumoere (flash of light) · nn lynblink (flash of light) · sh блесак (flash of light) · sc ragiu (flash of light) · oj wazimog (flash of light) · za byaj (flash of light) · ay illapa (flash of light) · et välk (flash of light) · gl chispa (discharge) · prs اَبْرَنْجَک (flash of light) · sl strela (flash of light) · mk секавица (flash of light) · nl bliksemflits (flash of light) · pt relâmpago (flash of light) · tet rai-lakan (flash of light) · kn ಮಿಂಚು (flash of light) · yue 電光 /电光 (flash of light) · nb lynglimt (flash of light) · fur sfulmin (flash of light) · xto wasir (flash of light) · vec sciantis (flash of light) · sk hrom (flash of light) · bal بیر (flash of light) · ar بَرْق (discharge) · got 𐌻𐌰𐌿𐌷𐌼𐌿𐌽𐌹 (flash of light) · eo fulmo (flash of light) · kk найзағай (flash of light) · nah tlapetlānilli (flash of light) · ood wepgi꞉ (flash of light) · so danab (flash of light) · kaw kilat (flash of light) · my လျှပ် (flash of light) · bg мъ́лния (discharge) · krl tulenisku (flash of light) · prs بَرْق (flash of light) · aqc парыла (flash of light) · om balaqqeessa (flash of light) · war linti (flash of light) · haw uila (flash of light) · de Entladung (discharge) · stq Loai (flash of light) · par kongoyoppo'e (flash of light) · es rayo (flash of light) · lo ຟ້າແມບ (flash of light) · rm chametg (discharge) · qu illapa (flash of light) · ln nkáké (flash of light) · goh blic (flash of light) · tly avəvü (flash of light) · lmo saètta (flash of light) · cy lluched (flash of light) · acw بَرْق (flash of light) · fur lamp (flash of light) · fo snarljós (flash of light) · ulw ingdi (flash of light) · rup sfulgu (flash of light) · ba йәшен (flash of light) · af bliksem (discharge) · pox måu̯ńă (flash of light) · izh valkia (flash of light) · par kongoyopoppa'en (flash of light) · af weerligstraal (flash of light) · cmn 閃電 /闪电 (flash of light) · evn агды (flash of light) · hi वज्रपात (discharge) · lo ວິທະຍຸ (flash of light) · io fulmino (flash of light) · hi बिजली (flash of light) · tyv кызаңнааш (flash of light) · ang līeġetu (flash of light) · eu tximista (discharge) · gd dealanach (flash of light) · mg helatra (flash of light) · gu તડિત (flash of light) · ja 雷光 (flash of light) · syc ܒܪܩܐ (flash of light) · nan-hbl 閃電 /闪电 (flash of light) · zza vırsık (diq) (flash of light) · ltg zibsnis (flash of light) · ta மின்னல் (flash of light) · nn lynglimt (flash of light) · mt beraq (flash of light) · af weerlig (discharge) · war kidlat (flash of light) · osx bliksmo (flash of light) · ota یلدرم (discharge) · ia fulgure (flash of light) · sh муња (flash of light) · nn elding (flash of light) · pjt wiinpa (flash of light) · lis ꓟꓰꓼ ꓜꓲꓼ (flash of light) · so hillaac (flash of light) · lo ວິຊຽນ (flash of light) · ml മിന്നൽ (flash of light) · fi salamointi (flash of light) · pl piorun (flash of light) · arz برق (flash of light) · ro trăsnet (flash of light) · prs صَاعِقَه (flash of light) · sk blesk (flash of light) · uli ffis (flash of light) · ur صاعِقَہ (flash of light) · es relámpago (discharge) · tpn tupã beraba (flash of light) · hi तड़ित (flash of light) · pjt wanangaṟa (flash of light) · gv çhenney (discharge) · sa शम्पा (discharge) · rm tgametg (flash of light) · da lynglimt (flash of light) · ro fulger (flash of light) · prs آذَرَخْش (flash of light) · it fulmine (flash of light) · ady пчыкӏэ (flash of light) · vo leklär (flash of light) · sa शम्पा (flash of light) · id geledek (flash of light) · mdh kilat (flash of light) · rif assam (flash of light) · udi ц̓аъкъ (flash of light) · vi sét (flash of light) · gv çhenney (flash of light) · cy mellt (flash of light) · bg светка́вица (flash of light) · fa-ira اَبْرَنْجَک (flash of light) · kus sa-ian'asʋg (flash of light) · mi uira (flash of light) · tr şimşek (flash of light) · oj inaabiwin (flash of light) · fr éclair (flash of light) · jv geledek (flash of light) · hu villám (flash of light) · gl raio (flash of light) · cs blesk (flash of light) · mk молња (flash of light) · li blitsj (flash of light) · cu мльниꙗ (flash of light) · vi chớp (flash of light) · ps بجلي (flash of light) · am መብረቅ (flash of light) · caa hihƥ (flash of light) · gl apago (discharge) · sm uila (flash of light) · dz གློག་ (flash of light) · alt јаажын (flash of light) · pi vijju (flash of light) · fr éloise (flash of light) · yue 閃電 /闪电 (discharge) · nys babanginy (flash of light) · sgs žaibs (flash of light) · nmn ʻmála (flash of light) · lo ຟ້າເຫລື້ອມ (flash of light) · frp fudra (discharge) · scn lampu (flash of light) · th อสนีบาต (flash of light) · nan-hbl 爍爁 /烁𬊶 (flash of light) · kxd kilat (flash of light) · nl weerlicht (flash of light) · mn цахилгаан (flash of light) · rm cametg (discharge) · za byajyap (flash of light) · nn lyn (flash of light) · km រន្ទះ (flash of light) · akl kidlat (flash of light) · ain イメル (flash of light) · ko 번개 (flash of light) · lis ꓟꓬꓱꓼ ꓐꓬꓱꓼ (flash of light) · lmo sumelech (flash of light) · aii ܒܸܪܩܵܐ (flash of light) · fla ʔesuˀwétʃiʔ (flash of light) · kmr birûsk (flash of light) · la fulmen (discharge) · sv blixt (flash of light) · lb Blëtz (flash of light) · rm cametg (flash of light) · bcl linti (flash of light) · te విడుదల (discharge) · uz chaqmoq (flash of light) · fa-ira گُرْز (flash of light) · mfe zekler (flash of light) · clm ƛ̕əmƛ̕əmcínəŋ (flash of light) · lmo saetta (flash of light) · rm sajetta (flash of light) · fr foudre (discharge) · cu блискъ (flash of light) · tg барқ (flash of light) · mt sajjetta (flash of light) · id halilintar (flash of light) · xnb ʼaparatʉ (flash of light) · ug چاقماق (flash of light) · nmn ǁnáa (flash of light) · agr čahip (flash of light) · kk жасыл (flash of light) · stq Lai (flash of light) · izh tuli (flash of light) · dar лямцӏ (flash of light) · hi तड़ित (discharge) · arc בַּרְקָא (flash of light) · uk перу́н (flash of light) · ur بَرْق (flash of light) · dlm limp (flash of light) · grc ἀστεροπή (flash of light) · uz yashin (flash of light) · hsb błysk (flash of light) · be мала́нка (flash of light) · sh blijesak (flash of light) · mg fotaka (flash of light) · pl błyskawica (flash of light) · rup sfuldzir (flash of light) · sh блијесак (flash of light) · es candelazo (flash of light) · wbp wirnpa (flash of light) · wyi djirringu (flash of light) · ota صاعقه (discharge) · twf phàcʼíene (flash of light) · fi salama (flash of light) · mos sa-yãgre (flash of light) · ceb kilat (flash of light) · nn lyneld (flash of light) · km វិជ្ជុ (flash of light) · udi чӏаъкъ (flash of light) · es relámpago (flash of light) · non leiptr (flash of light) · pa ਰੋਹਣੀ (flash of light) · ibg kilat (flash of light) · kls indóčik (flash of light) · fi salama (discharge) · ca llampec (flash of light) · ckt йынӄэргын (flash of light) · id petir (flash of light) · pi asani (flash of light) · yue 閃電 /闪电 (flash of light) · br luc'hed (flash of light) · nrf écllai (flash of light) · ki rũheni (flash of light) · gez መብረቅ (flash of light) · mkj joarom (flash of light) · tyv чаңнык (flash of light) · ug بەرق (flash of light) · enm leyt (flash of light) · lez цӏайлапан (flash of light) · hi बिजली (discharge) · nl bliksemschicht (flash of light) · ky чагылган (flash of light) · xcl կայծակն (flash of light) · dsb błysk (flash of light) · rm tgametg (discharge) · be бліскаві́ца (flash of light) · be блі́скаўка (flash of light) · ne चट्याङ (flash of light) · so biriq (flash of light) · da lyn (flash of light) · oc liuç (flash of light) · uga 𐎁𐎗𐎖 (flash of light) · tg соиқа (flash of light) · alt јалкын (flash of light) · th วิชชุ (flash of light) · ur بِجْلی (flash of light) · ca llamp (discharge) · ru мо́лния (flash of light) · tsg kilat (flash of light) · av пири (flash of light) · th สายฟ้า (flash of light) · or ବିଜୁଳି (flash of light) · kw lughes (flash of light) · ja 稲光 (flash of light) · pa ਬਿਜਲੀ (flash of light) · he בָּרָק (flash of light) · la fulmen (flash of light) · da lyn (discharge) · tig በርቅ (flash of light) · ps برېښ (flash of light) · ca llamp (flash of light) · par kongoyoppo'enah (flash of light) · sw umeme (flash of light) · sei iʃɑ́ːʔoχ inóɸtx (flash of light) · it saetta (flash of light) · swb peni (flash of light) · cmn 電光 /电光 (flash of light) · fa-ira بَرْق (flash of light) · es refucilo (flash of light) · nrf êpart (flash of light) · cop ⲉⲃⲣⲏϭⲉ (flash of light) · ce стелахаьштиг (flash of light) · ru мо́лния (discharge) · ja 稲妻 (flash of light) · sa अशनि (flash of light) · bua сакилгаан (flash of light) · fi salamanisku (discharge) · gu વીજ (flash of light) · nn lynblenk (flash of light) · fur tarlup (flash of light) · sah чаҕылҕан (flash of light) · ny mphezi (flash of light) · sq rrufe (flash of light) · scn fùrmini (flash of light) · chy évóˀhoˀȧseˀha (flash of light) · it lampo (flash of light)

wikidata: Q33741

lightning en · VERB

Pronunciation

• [ˈlʌɪ̯ʔ.nɪŋ] (General-American)
• /ˈlaɪt.nɪŋ/
• [ˈlɐɪ̯ʔ.nɪŋ] (General-American)
• (US) audio Audio (US)
• /ˈlaɪt.nɪŋ/ (General-American)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From light(e)n + -ing. Doublet of lightening.

Meanings

1. (childish, impersonal, intransitive, nonstandard) To produce lightning.
   • I don't know, Father, but believe me, it has been a horrible night — one that I'll never forget. It thundered and lightninged, and I was very hungry. 1988, Carlo Collodi, Roberto Innocenti, The adventures of Pinocchio:
   • Or if it thundered and lightninged, Aunt Frances always dropped everything she might be doing and held Elizabeth Ann tightly in her arms until it was all over. 1916, Dorothy Canfield Fisher, Understood Betsy:
   • "Hey!" yelled Reggie, pulling her back. "Get in here! It's lightninging. I don't want a charcoal-broiled friend!" 1987, Tricia Springstubb, Eunice Gottlieb and the unwhitewashed truth about life:
   • The next day, though it is not only raining but thundering and lightninging as well, antiquing is seen by three-fourths of those present as a lesser evil than free play. 1968, Dan Greenburg, Chewsday: a sex novel:

Forms

Translations (8)

nb lyne (to produce lightning) · pt relampear (to produce lightning) · es fucilar (to produce lightning) · es relampaguear (to produce lightning) · nn lyne (to produce lightning) · pt relampejar (to produce lightning) · ar بَرَقَ (to produce lightning) · ar أَبْرَقَ (to produce lightning)