Hypertext Webster Gateway: "alight"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
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 from, fr. l[=i]ht, leoht, light. See
{Light}, v. i.]
1. To spring down, get down, or descend, as from on horseback
or from a carriage; to dismount.
2. To descend and settle, lodge, rest, or stop; as, a flying
bird alights on a tree; snow alights on a roof.
3. To come or chance (upon). [R.]
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Alight \A*light"\, a. [Pref. a- + light.]
Lighted; lighted up; in a flame. ``The lamps were alight.''
--Dickens.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
alight
adj : lighted up by or as by fire or flame; "forests set ablaze
(or afire) by lightning"; "even the car's tires were
aflame"; "a night aflare with fireworks"; "candles
alight on the tables"; "blazing logs in the fireplace";
"a burning cigarette"; "a flaming crackling fire";
"houses on fire" [syn: {ablaze(p)}, {afire(p)}, {aflame(p)},
{aflare(p)}, {alight(p)}, {blazing}, {burning}, {flaming},
{on fire(p)}]
v 1: to come to rest, settle: "Misfortune lighted upon him."
[syn: {light}, {perch}]
2: come down, as of a bird [syn: {climb down}]
Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents;
see the Webster Gateway FAQ,
and also the Back-end/database links and credits.