Dictionary

searchlight en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈsɜːtʃˌlaɪt/ (UK)

Etymology

From search + light. Compare West Frisian sykljocht (“searchlight”), Dutch zoeklicht (“searchlight”), Danish søgelys (“searchlight”), Swedish sökarljus (“searchlight”).

Meanings

1. A light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction, generally for military use.
2. The light from the above source.
   • We didn’t know where Reserve Gully was as the shore was all in darkness except for a searchlight from a warship which played occasionally on top of Walker’s Ridge. 1933, Frank Clune, Try Anything Once, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 113:

Forms

Hypernyms

light

Translations (33)

sv sökarljus (the light from the above source) · fr faisceau (the light from the above source) · nl zoeklicht (a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction) · de Suchscheinwerfer (a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction) · pt holofote (a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction) · hu reflektor (a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction) · cmn 探照燈 /探照灯 (a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction) · bg прожектор (a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction) · es proyector de búsqueda (a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction) · hu fénykéve (the light from the above source) · oc fais (the light from the above source) · nb søkelys (a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction) · pl reflektor (the light from the above source) · pl reflektor (a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction) · fi valokeila (the light from the above source) · vo litijedian (a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction) · cmn 探照光束 (the light from the above source) · fi hakuvalo (a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction) · hu keresőlámpa (a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction) · sv sökljus (the light from the above source) · nn søkelys (a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction) · hu fénysugár (the light from the above source) · hu fényszóró (a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction) · ru проже́ктор (a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction) · it proiettore da ricerca (a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction) · fr projecteur (a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction) · sv sökarljus (a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction) · fi valonheitin (a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction) · sv sökljus (a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction) · oc projector (a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction) · nn søkelys (the light from the above source) · nb søkelys (the light from the above source) · af soeklig (a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction)

searchlight en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈsɜːtʃˌlaɪt/ (UK)

Etymology

From search + light. Compare West Frisian sykljocht (“searchlight”), Dutch zoeklicht (“searchlight”), Danish søgelys (“searchlight”), Swedish sökarljus (“searchlight”).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To scan or sweep across like a searchlight.
   • A dozen air corps of fireflies searchlighted the spot for an instant. 1937, L. Ron Hubbard, All Frontiers Are Jealous:

Forms