lighten up
To make (something) or to become less serious and more cheerful or casual; to relax.
I wish he'd lighten up a bit and realize that we were only joking.
lighten
/ˈlaɪ.tn̩/
verb 11
Collocations
5ADJ.
all, all, familial, little
VERB + LIGHTEN
come, gas, joke, jokes, let, need, rate, shore
LIGHTEN + NOUN
anyone, apartment, atmosphere, d, earth, guys, mood, s
PREP.
on, up, upon, with
ADV.
really
Definitions
verb
1
To make brighter or clearer; to illuminate.
to lighten an apartment with lamps or gas; to lighten the streets
A Key of fire ran all along the shore, And lighten’d all the river with the blaze:
2
To become brighter or clearer; to brighten.
3
To flash lightning, to give off lightning.
Enter the Conjurer; it lightens and thunders […]
[…] this dreadful night, That thunders, lightens, opens graves, and roars As doth the lion.
4
To emit or disclose in, or as if in, lightning; to flash out, like lightning.
[…] behold his eye, As bright as is the eagle’s, lightens forth Controlling majesty:
5
To illuminate with knowledge.
O Light which mak’st the Light, which makes the Day, Which setst the Eye without and Mind within, Lighten my spirit with one cleare heavenly ray, Which now to view it selfe doth first begin.
verb
1
To alleviate; to reduce the burden of.
Sorrow can be lightened by being openly brought out.
She cites a 2015 British poll conducted by the Family Holiday Association that found vacations can serve as “happiness anchors” that provide memories of familial joy to lighten the burdens of adulthood.
2
To make light or lighter in weight.
3
To make less serious or more cheerful.
They looked unto him, were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.
4
To become light or lighter in weight.
5
To become less serious or more cheerful.
verb
1
To descend; to light.
Book of Common Prayer O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us.
Thesaurus
Idioms & Phrases
lighten someone's purse
to take money from someone.
For when Robin Hood caught a baron or a squire, or a fat abbot or bishop, he brought them to the greenwood tree and feasted them before he lightened their purses.
Example Bank
601
to lighten an apartment with lamps or gas; to lighten the streets
Wiktionary02
A Key of fire ran all along the shore, And lighten’d all the river with the blaze:
Wiktionary03
Enter the Conjurer; it lightens and thunders […]
Wiktionary04
Sorrow can be lightened by being openly brought out.
Wiktionary05
She cites a 2015 British poll conducted by the Family Holiday Association that found vacations can serve as “happiness anchors” that provide memories of familial joy to lighten the burdens of adulthoo
Wiktionary06
They looked unto him, were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.
WiktionaryUsage Notes
i Register
In some senses, lighten is marked as archaic. Watch for register when choosing this word.
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