lightning
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light·ning
(līt′nĭng)n.
1.
a. An abrupt, discontinuous natural electric discharge in the atmosphere.
b. The visible flash of light accompanying such a discharge.
2. Informal A sudden, usually improbable stroke of fortune.
intr.v. light·ninged (-nĭngd), light·ning, light·nings
To discharge a flash of lightning.
adj.
Moving or occurring with remarkable speed or suddenness.
[Middle English, gerund of lightnen, to illuminate, from lighten, from Old English līhtan; see leuk- in Indo-European roots.]
lightning
(ˈlaɪtnɪŋ)n
1. (Physical Geography) a flash of light in the sky, occurring during a thunderstorm and caused by a discharge of electricity, either between clouds or between a cloud and the earth.
2. (modifier) fast and sudden: a lightning raid.
[C14: variant of lightening]
light•ning
(ˈlaɪt nɪŋ)n., v. -ninged, -ning,
adj. n.
1. a brilliant electric spark discharge in the atmosphere, occurring within or between clouds, or between a cloud and the ground.
v.i. 2. to emit flashes of lightning (often used impersonally with it as subject): Go inside if it starts to lightning.
adj. 3. of, pertaining to, or resembling lightning, esp. in regard to speed: lightning flashes.
light·ning
(līt′nĭng) A flash of light in the sky caused by an electrical discharge between clouds or between a cloud and the Earth's surface. The flash heats the air and usually causes thunder. Lightning may appear as a jagged streak, a bright sheet, or, in rare cases, a glowing red ball.
Did You Know? The energy within a bolt of lightning is so great that it heats the air around it to temperatures up to five times greater than that of the surface of the sun, or 55,000°F (30,000°C). The rapid expansion of this superheated air is what creates the sounds we call thunder. The sounds travel to us more slowly than the light from lightning, so it is possible to estimate how far away a lightning strike is by timing the gap between when you see the lightning and when you hear the thunder it has produced. Count the seconds from when you see the flash until you hear the thunder, and divide this number by five. The result will be the number of miles you are from the point of the strike.
lightning
- nimbostratus cloud - Can drop precipitation but has no lightning or thunder.
- artillery - A poetic term for thunder and lightning.
- coup de foudre - A sudden unforeseen event or instantaneous and overwhelming passion, such as love at first sight; it is French, literally, "stroke of lightning."
- lightning - Etymologically, lightning is simply something that illuminates or "lightens" the sky, a contraction of the earlier "lightening."
Lightning
an abnormal fear of lightning.
the recording of occurrences of lightning and thunder on a time scale attached to a revolving drum. — keraunograph, n. — keraunographic, adj.
an abnormal fear of thunder and lightning.
a form of divination involving thunder and lightning.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Noun | 1. |  lightning - abrupt electric discharge from cloud to cloud or from cloud to earth accompanied by the emission of lightchain lightning, forked lightning - a form of lightning that moves rapidly in a zigzag path with one end divided (fork-like) atmospheric electricity - electrical discharges in the atmosphere |
| 2. | lightning - the flash of light that accompanies an electric discharge in the atmosphere (or something resembling such a flash); can scintillate for a second or more flash - a sudden intense burst of radiant energy heat lightning - bright flashes of light near the horizon without thunder (especially on hot evenings); usually attributed to distant lightning that is reflected by clouds sheet lighting - lightning that appears as a broad sheet; due to reflections of more distant lightning and to diffusion by the clouds |
lightning
nounTranslations
بَرْقبَرْقٌ
мълниясветкавица
blesk
lyn
fulmo
salamasalamanisku
munja
villámvillámlás
elding
雷
번개
fulgur
žaibas
zibens
bleskhrom
strela
blixt
สายฟ้าแลบ
блискавка
chớp
lightning
[ˈlaɪtnɪŋ] n → foudre f
thunder and lightning → le tonnerre et la foudre
a flash of lightning → un éclair
Another flash of lightning lit up the cave → Un autre éclair illumina la grotte.
to be struck by lightning → être foudroyé(e)
One man died when he was struck by lightning → Un homme est mort foudroyé.
thunder and lightning → le tonnerre et la foudre
a flash of lightning → un éclair
Another flash of lightning lit up the cave → Un autre éclair illumina la grotte.
to be struck by lightning → être foudroyé(e)
One man died when he was struck by lightning → Un homme est mort foudroyé.
adj (= very quick) → fulgurant(e), éclair inv
Driving today demands lightning reflexes → Aujourd'hui, la conduite exige des réflexes fulgurants., Aujourd'hui, la conduite exige des réflexes éclair.
with lightning speed → à la vitesse de l'éclairlightning bug n (US) (= firefly) → luciole flightning conductor lightning rod (US) n → paratonnerre mlightning strike n (British) (= industrial action) → grève f éclairlight opera n → opérette flight pen n → crayon m optiquelight reading n → lecture f légère
Driving today demands lightning reflexes → Aujourd'hui, la conduite exige des réflexes fulgurants., Aujourd'hui, la conduite exige des réflexes éclair.
with lightning speed → à la vitesse de l'éclairlightning bug n (US) (= firefly) → luciole flightning conductor lightning rod (US) n → paratonnerre mlightning strike n (British) (= industrial action) → grève f éclairlight opera n → opérette flight pen n → crayon m optiquelight reading n → lecture f légère
lightning
n → Blitz m; a flash of lightning → ein Blitz m; (doing damage) → ein Blitzschlag m; struck by lightning → vom Blitz getroffen; what causes lightning? → wie entstehen Blitze?; we had some lightning an hour ago → vor einer Stunde hat es geblitzt; as quick as lightning, like (greased) lightning → wie der Blitz, wie ein geölter Blitz; lightning never strikes twice in the same place (lit, fig) → der Blitz schlägt nie zweimal am gleichen Ort ein
attr → blitzschnell, Blitz-; lightning attack → Überraschungs- or Blitzangriff m; lightning strike → spontaner Streik; with lightning speed → blitzschnell, mit Blitzesschnelle; lightning visit → Blitzbesuch m
lightning
[ˈlaɪtnɪŋ] n → fulmine m, lampoa lot of lightning → molti lampi
as quick as lightning, like (greased) lightning (fam) → (veloce) come un fulmine, in un lampo
lightning
(ˈlaitniŋ) noun a flash of electricity between clouds or from a cloud to earth during a storm, usually followed by thunder. The house was struck by lightning.
a flash of lightning (not lightening).
lightening is the present participle of lighten, to make or become lighter.
lightening is the present participle of lighten, to make or become lighter.