Library / English Dictionary

LIGHTEN UP

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Become lighter

Example:

The room lightened up

Synonyms:

lighten; lighten up

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "lighten up" is one way to...):

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "lighten up"):

irradiate (cast rays of light upon)

illume; illuminate; illumine; light; light up (make lighter or brighter)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make more cheerful through the use of color

Example:

The paint will brighten the room

Synonyms:

brighten; lighten; lighten up

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "lighten up" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Become more cheerful

Example:

after a glass of wine, he lightened up a bit

Synonyms:

buoy up; lighten; lighten up

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "lighten up" is one way to...):

cheer; cheer up; chirk up (become cheerful)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 4

Meaning:

Make more cheerful

Example:

the conversation lightened me up a bit

Synonyms:

buoy up; lighten; lighten up

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "lighten up" is one way to...):

cheer (show approval or good wishes by shouting)

Cause:

buoy up; lighten; lighten up (become more cheerful)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

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