“Coffee, the favorite drink of the civilized world.” – Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States
LIGHTENING
whitening, lightening
(noun) changing to a lighter color
lightening
(noun) descent of the uterus into the pelvic cavity that occurs late in pregnancy; the fetus is said to have dropped
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology 1
Verb
lightening
present participle of lighten
Noun
lightening (plural lightenings)
(medicine) The sensation caused by the descent of the uterus into the pelvic cavity before the onset of labour
(nautical) The removal of cargo (especially crude oil) from a vessel in order to reduce its draft
Etymology 2
Noun
lightening
Misspelling of lightning.
Anagrams
• enlighting
Source: Wiktionary
LIGHTEN
Light"en, v. i. Etym: [See Light to alight.]
Definition: To descend; to light. O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us. Book of Common Prayer [Eng. Ed.]
Light"en, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Lightened; p. pr. & vb. n. Lightening.] Etym: [OE. lightenen. See Light to kindle, illuminate.]
1. To burst forth or dart, as lightning; to shine with, or like, lightning; to display a flash or flashes of lightning; to flash. This dreadful night, That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars As doth the lion. Shak.
2. To grow lighter; to become less dark or lowering; to brighten; to clear, as the sky.
Light"en, v. t. Etym: [See Light to illuminate.]
1. To make light or clear; to light; to illuminate; as, to lighten an apartment with lamps or gas; to lighten the streets. [In this sense less common than light.] A key of fire ran all along the shore, And lightened all the river with a blaze. Dryden.
2. To illuminate with knowledge; to enlighten. [In this sense less common than enlighten.] Lighten my spirit with one clear heavenly ray. Sir J. Davies.
3. To emit or disclose in, or as in, lightning; to flash out, like lightning. His eye . . . lightens forth Controlling majesty. Shak.
4. To free from trouble and fill with joy. They looked unto him, were lightened. Ps. xxxiv. 5.
Light"en, v. t. Etym: [See Light not heavy.]
1. To make lighter, or less heavy; to reduce in weight; to relieve of part of a load or burden; as, to lighten a ship by unloading; to lighten a load or burden.
2. To make less burdensome or afflictive; to alleviate; as, to lighten the cares of life or the burden of grief.
3. To cheer; to exhilarate. Lighens my humor with his merry jests. Shak.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
15 March 2025
TRUNCATION
(noun) the replacement of an edge or solid angle (as in cutting a gemstone) by a plane (especially by a plane that is equally inclined to the adjacent faces)
Coffee Trivia
