light1 /laɪt/ ●●● S1 W1 noun → lite1 natural/artificial light 自然光/人造光 a) [uncountableU]LIGHT the energy from the Sun, a flame, a lamp etc that allows you to see things 光,光线 We saw a flash of light. 我们看到一道闪光。
in/by the light of something Everything looked grey in the dim light of the oil lamp. 在昏暗的油灯下,所有的东西看上去都是灰蒙蒙的。
I read by the light of the fire. 我借着火光读书。
in/into the light The man moved forward into the light. 那人向前走到光亮的地方。
b) [countableC]LIGHT a particular type of light, with its own particular colour, level of brightness etc 〔有某种光色、亮度等的〕光 The colours look different in different lights. 这些颜色在不同光线下看上去不同。
2 lamp/electric light etc 灯/电灯等 [countableC] a) LIGHTsomething that produces light, especially electric light, to help you to see 光源,〔尤指〕电灯 Ahead of us we could see the lights of the city. 前方,我们能看到城市的灯光。
We’re having a mixture of wall lights and ceiling lights in different parts of the house. 我们在房子的不同地方装了壁灯和顶灯。
turn/switch/put on a light I switched on the light in the bedroom. 我打开卧室的灯。
turn/switch/put off a light Don’t forget to switch the lights off when you go out. 出去时别忘了关灯。
turn/switch/put out a light Can you turn the light out downstairs? 你把楼下的灯关了好吗?
a light is/comes/goes on The lights in the office were still on. 办公室里依然亮着灯。
The street lights were just beginning to come on. 街道两旁华灯初上。
He left a light on in the kitchen. 他让厨房里的一盏灯亮着。
a light is off/out Make sure all the lights are off when you leave. 你走的时候一定要把所有的灯都关了。
Suddenly all the lights in the house went out. 忽然屋里所有的灯都熄灭了。
Can you turn the light down (=make it less bright) a bit? 你把灯调暗一点好吗?
→ the bright lights at bright(14) b) DTZsomething such as a lamp that you can carry to give you light 〔可手持的〕灯;手电筒 Shine a light over here, will you? 你把灯往这边照,好吗?
3 traffic control 交通控制 [countableC usually plural]TTR one of a set of red, green, and yellow lights used for controlling traffic 交通信号灯 SYN traffic lights We waited for the lights to change. 我们等着红绿灯转换。
Eventually the lights turned green. 绿灯终于亮了。
The driver had failed to stop at a red light. 红灯亮时司机没有把车停下。
→ green light 4 on a vehicle 在车上 [countableC usually plural]TTC one of the lights on a car, bicycle etc that help you to see at night 〔汽车、自行车等的〕车灯 He was dazzled by the lights of oncoming traffic. 他被迎面车辆的灯光照得睁不开眼睛。
You’ve left your lights on. 你的车灯一直亮着。
→ brake light, headlight, parking light →4 See picture of 见图 BICYCLE 1 5 first light literaryTMC the time when light first appears in the morning sky 破晓,黎明,曙光 We set out at first light the next day. 第二天天刚亮我们就出发了。
first light• The Caribou took off at first light.• At first light on 7 June I checked the compass.• We had some two hours sleep that night, then proceeded to align our position before first light.• Sergio told us that upon entering the rapid his paddle had snapped in half on his first light stroke.• At the end of a long gash An atrocity through the lace of first light I sit with the reeking instrument.• In the pale first light of dawn I pulled off beside a lake in the state of Vera Cruz.• The first light of dawn found Joe in Lucy's basement room at the mews cottage.• But until first light, how would he fend off the terrors of the darkness? 6 be/stand in somebody’s light DARKto prevent someone from getting all the light they need to see or do something 挡住某人的光线 Could you move to the left a little – you’re standing in my light. 你能往左边移一移吗——你挡住了我的光线。
be/stand in somebody’s light• Edouard examined the jewellery carefully, standing in the north light of the atelier's large window.• He stood in the light from the nearest pillar.• I stand in a light mist of rain.• Could you move to the left a little? You're standing in my light.• Now that they stood in the light, Jehan could see that both of them were blackened by grime and oil. 7 FOR A CIGARETTE 用于香烟a light SMOKEa match or something else to light a cigarette 火柴;打火机 Have you got a light, please? 请问你有火吗?
a light• Do you have a light?
8 in SB’s eyes 在某人眼中 [singular] literaryEXPRESSION ON somebody'S FACE an expression in someone’s eyes that shows an emotion or intention 眼神 SYN gleam There was a murderous light in his eyes. 他目露凶光。
9 set light to something BURNto make something start burning 点燃某物,引火烧某物 The candle fell over and set light to the barn. 蜡烛倒了,引燃了谷仓。
10 come to light/be brought to light FIND OUTif new information comes to light, it becomes known 〔新信息〕为人所知,被披露出来 This evidence did not come to light until after the trial. 庭审结束以后这个证据才被披露出来。
The mistake was only brought to light some years later. 这个错误数年之后才浮现出来。
11 throw/shed/cast light on something EXPLAINto provide new information that makes a difficult subject or problem easier to understand 〔提供新资料〕使某事物更容易理解 Melanie was able to shed some light on the situation. 梅拉妮能对情况作进一步解释。
These discoveries may throw new light on the origins of the universe. 这些发现也许可以让人们更进一步了解宇宙的起源。
12 in the light of something British EnglishBrE, in light of something American EnglishBECAUSE if you do or decide something in the light of something else, you do it after considering that thing 考虑到某事物,根据[鉴于]某事物 In light of this tragic event, we have canceled the 4th of July celebrations. 因为这场悲剧,我们取消了7月4日的庆祝活动。
13 in a new/different/bad etc light UNDERSTANDif someone or something is seen or shown in a particular light, people can see that particular part of their character 从新的/不同的/坏的等角度看 I suddenly saw my father in a new light. 我突然对父亲有了新的看法。
This incident will put the company in a very bad light. 这事件将使公司形象大为折损。
14 see the light a) UNDERSTANDto suddenly understand something 忽然理解,顿悟 At last doctors have seen the light! 医生们终于明白过来了!
15 see the light (of day) a) PUBLICIZE/MAKE KNOWNif an object sees the light of day, it is taken from the place where it has been hidden, and becomes publicly known 公开,问世,发表 Some of these documents will probably never see the light of day. 这些文件中有一部分也许永远也不会公开。
b) EXISTif a law, decision etc sees the light of day, it comes into existence for the first time 〔法律、决定等〕出台,颁布 see the light (of day)• I can see the light under Marie's door, but there's no noise or nothing.• From two blocks away you can see the light radiating up into the sky.• On a clear night, you could see the lights of Saigon.• I saw the light widening in the window, but I could not make myself get up.• Get to the back of the drawers and cupboards - areas which don't often see the light of day.• But at least none of them saw the light of print - until today's souvenir edition.• I never sold a garment or got an order from this source, I wonder if they saw the light of day.• He say if you afraid of the truth to get back in the shadows cause you never will see the light. 16 light at the end of the tunnel HOPEsomething that gives you hope for the future after a long and difficult period 黑暗尽头的光明〔指经历长期磨难后终于看到希望〕 It’s been a hard few months, but we’re finally beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. 这几个月很艰难,但是我们终于见到曙光了。
light at the end of the tunnel• After a year of declining profits, there's finally a light at the end of the tunnel.• For Jane there is some light at the end of the tunnel, but many anorexia sufferers continue to suffer in silence.• After all the problems we've had we're finally beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel. 17. have your name in lights informalFAMOUS to be successful and famous in theatre or films 在演艺圈中成名 18 go/be out like a light informalSLEEP to go to sleep very quickly because you are very tired 〔因很疲倦而〕很快入睡 I went straight to bed and went out like a light. 我直接上了床,倒头就睡着了。
go/be out like a light• A minute later he went out like a light.• Something hit me on the back of the head, here, and I went out like a light.• I went out like a light.• Either it was the brandy or it was the heat, but she went out like a light.• She was out like a light, as soon as we put her in bed. 19 a leading light in/of something informalIMPORTANT someone who is important in a particular organization 某组织中的权威人士[重要人物] She’s one of the leading lights of the local dramatic society. 她是当地戏剧协会的权威人士。
20 the light of somebody’s life the person that someone loves more than anyone else 某人最心爱的人,某人的心肝宝贝 Her son was the light of her life. 儿子是她的心肝宝贝。
the light of somebody’s life• Ixora was his only child, the light of his life.• We have a four-year-old son who is the light of my life.• His wife, while sound in mind, had taken a pillow and had deliberately snuffed out the light of his life.• LoEshe was the light of his life. 21. window 窗 [countableC]TBB a window in a roof or wall that allows light into a room 窗;天窗;采光口
→ hide your light under a bushel at bushel, red-light district, → be all sweetness and light at sweetness(3), → in the cold light of day at cold1(9) COLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + lightbright/strong 明亮的/强烈的The light was so bright he had to shut his eyes. 光线太强了,他不由得闭上了眼睛。
blinding/dazzling (=extremely bright) 令人目眩的/刺眼的The white buildings reflected a blinding light. 白色建筑反射出刺眼的光线。
dim (=not bright) 昏暗的Gradually her eyes became accustomed to the dim light. 渐渐地,她的眼睛适应了昏暗的光线。
good (=bright enough) 充足的,良好的Stand over here where the light is good. 站到这里来,这里光线好。
poor/bad (=not bright enough) 不足的,差的The light was too poor for me to read. 光线太差了,我没法阅读。
soft/warm (=light that seems slightly yellow or orange) 柔和的/暖色调的nthe soft light of the candles
cold/harsh (=light that seems slightly blue) 冷色调的/刺眼的nthe cold light of the moon
the morning/dawn light 曙光/晨曦nThe flowers glowed brightly in the morning light.
natural light (=light produced by the sun) 自然光nThe only natural light came from two high windows.
artificial light (=light produced by lamps) 人造光nThe office was windowless, lit only by artificial light.
verbslight shines 光照亮The light from the streetlamp shone through the curtains. 路灯的光透过窗帘照进来。
light comes from somewhere 光从某处照来The only light came from the fire. 唯一的光线来自火焰。
light streams/floods in (=a large amount of light comes in) 光泻入/涌入Light streamed in through the window. 光从窗户泻进来。
light falls on/across etc something 光照在/洒在某物上The light fell on her book. 光照在她的书上。
light illuminates something formal (=makes it bright or able to be seen) 光照亮某物nThe light from the screen illuminated the people gathered round it.
the light is fading (=it is getting darker as the sun is going down) 光亮正在消失
produce light (also emit light technical) 发光nthe light produced by the sun
cast light (=send light onto something) 使光线照向nthe gold circle of light cast by the lamp
reflect light 反射光线nSnow reflects a lot of light.
something is bathed in light literary (=something has a lot of light shining on it) 某物沐浴在光中nThe fields and woods were bathed in golden light.
phrasesa beam/ray/shaft of light (=a thin line of light) 一道/束光There was a shaft of light from the doorway. 门口有一道光。
a flash of light (=a bright light that appears suddenly for a very short time) 一道闪光A flash of light caught his attention. 一道闪光引起了他的注意。
a pool/circle of light (=an area of light) 一片光亮nThey stood in the pool of light cast by the streetlamp.
n THESAURUS – Meaning 2: light something that produces light, especially electric light, to help you to seeShe switched the kitchen light on.
The lights in the house were all off.
lamp an object that produces light by using electricity, oil, or gas – often used in names of lightsa bedside lamp
a street lamp
a desk lamp
a table lamp
an old oil lamp
a paraffin lamp
lantern a lamp that you can carry, consisting of a metal container with glass sides that surrounds a flame or lightThe miners used lanterns which were lit by candles.
torch British EnglishBrE, flashlight American EnglishAmE a small electric lamp that you carry in your handWe shone our torches around the cavern.
candle a stick of wax with a string through the middle, which you burn to give lightThe restaurant was lit by candles.
bulb the glass part of an electric light, that the light shines froma 100 watt bulb
an energy-saving light bulb
on a carheadlight (also headlamp) one of the two large lights at the front of a vehicleIt was getting dark so she switched the headlights on.
sidelight British EnglishBrE, parking light American EnglishAmE one of the two small lights next to the main lights, at the front and back of a car
tail light one of the two red lights at the back of a vehicle
indicator British EnglishBrE, turn signal American EnglishAmE one of the lights on a car that flash to show which way the car is turning