1. (v. i.) To descend; to light.

2. (v. i.) To burst forth or dart, as lightning; to shine with, or like, lightning; to display a flash or flashes of lightning; to flash.

3. (v. i.) To grow lighter; to become less dark or lowering; to brighten; to clear, as the sky.

4. (v. t.) To make light or clear; to light; to illuminate; as, to lighten an apartment with lamps or gas; to lighten the streets.

5. (v. t.) To illuminate with knowledge; to enlighten.

6. (v. t.) To emit or disclose in, or as in, lightning; to flash out, like lightning.

7. (v. t.) To free from trouble and fill with joy.

8. (v. t.) 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.

9. (v. t.) To make less burdensome or afflictive; to alleviate; as, to lighten the cares of life or the burden of grief.

10. (v. t.) To cheer; to exhilarate.

abate allay alleviate assuage attemper attenuate bank the fire be light beacon blunt break brighten brighten up chasten cheer up constrain control damp dampen dawn de-emphasize deaden dilute diminish disburden disembarrass disencumber downplay dull ease enlighten extenuate flood with light floodlight gladden grow bright grow light have little weight highlight illume illuminate illumine irradiate keep within bounds kick the beam lay lenify lessen light light up luminate make light make lighter mitigate moderate modulate mollify obtund off-load overshine palliate play down reduce reduce the temperature reduce weight relieve relume relumine restrain set at ease shed light upon shine shine upon slacken slow down smile smother sober sober down soften spotlight stifle subdue suppress tame temper thin throw light upon tone down tune down unballast unburden underplay unfreight unlade unload weaken weigh lightly