alight

alight
alight vb
1 *descend, dismount
Contrasted words: mount, *ascend, scale, climb
2 Alight, light, land, perch, roost share the meaning to come to rest after or as if after a flight, a descent, or a fall.
Alight suggests previous controlled or gentle movement through the air or open space (as of a flying bird or a floating snowflake)
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skylarks alight on the ground

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Light, sometimes the equivalent of alight, more often presupposes a falling or jumping than flying or floating, and sometimes merely a wandering or roving
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he sprang from the roof and lighted on his feet

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we came smack down on the animal tent; when we lit the tent began to tear— Sandburg

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Land applies to a boat coming to land or an airplane grounding. Though often used interchangeably with light, it may connote arrival at a destination and sometimes driving force or power
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the airplane landed in a swamp

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he fell headlong and landed on his face

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his blow landed in the spot he aimed at

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he has landed where he hoped, in an executive position

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Perch and roost basically imply alighting of birds, but perch suggests settling on something elevated to which the claws may' cling (as to a pole, bar, or twig) and roost, the settling for rest or sleep, especially by domestic fowls, on the perches and in the shelters prepared for them. So perch often implies elevation of position and tenuousness of grasp or hold
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twenty or more [rooks] perched aloft, cawing and conversing comfortably— Jefferies

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a lofty perpendicular cliff . . . with a castle . . . perched on the distant top— Lucas

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Roost, when used of persons, often suggests a position like that of roosting fowls
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boys roosting on the rail of a fence

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Contrasted words: *rise, arise, soar, ascend, rocket

New Dictionary of Synonyms. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • alight — Ⅰ. alight [1] ► VERB 1) formal, chiefly Brit. descend from a vehicle. 2) (alight on) chance to notice. ORIGIN Old English. Ⅱ. alight [2] …   English terms dictionary

  • Alight — A*light , a. [Pref. a + light.] Lighted; lighted up; in a flame. The lamps were alight. Dickens. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Alight — A*light , v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Alighted}sometimes {Alit}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Alighting}.] [OE. alihten, fr. AS. [=a]l[=i]htan; pref. [=a] (cf. Goth. us , G. er , orig. meaning out) + l[=i]htan, to alight, orig. to render light, to remove a burden… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • alight — verb climb down, depart, descend, descendere, disembark, dismount, egress, evacuate, exit, get down, get off, ground oneself, land, leave, part, set down, step down Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • alight on — alight (up)on (Roget s Thesaurus II) verb Archaic. To find or meet by chance: bump into, chance on (or upon), come across, come on (or upon), find, happen on (or upon), light on (or upon), run across, run into, stumble on (or upon), tumble on.… …   English dictionary for students

  • alight — [v] land come down, debark, descend, disembark, dismount, get off, light, perch, settle, touch down; concepts 159,181 …   New thesaurus

  • alight — alight1 [ə līt′] vi. alighted or alit, alighting [ME alighten < OE ālīhtan < a , out, off + līhtan, to dismount, render light < liht: see LIGHT2 (to dismount)] 1. to get down or off; dismount 2. to come down after flight; descend and… …   English World dictionary

  • alight — a|light1 [əˈlaıt] adj [not before noun] [Date: 1400 1500; Origin: Probably from a + light] 1.) burning ▪ The car was set alight and pushed over a hill. 2.) literary someone whose face or eyes are alight looks excited, happy, etc alight with… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • alight — [[t]əla͟ɪt[/t]] alights, alighting, alighted 1) ADJ: v n ADJ, v link ADJ If something is alight, it is burning. Several buildings were set alight... The gas fire was still alight. Syn: ablaze 2) ADJ: v link ADJ, oft ADJ with n If someone s eyes… …   English dictionary

  • alight — I UK [əˈlaɪt] / US adjective [never before noun] 1) burning set something alight: Dozens of cars were set alight. 2) literary if someone s face or eyes are alight, their expression shows a feeling such as excitement or happiness 3) literary… …   English dictionary

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