Chapter Lightable to Lignitiferous of L by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

1. Illumination, or degree of illumination; as, the lightness of a room. Chaucer.

2. Absence of depth or of duskiness in color; as, the lightness of a tint; lightness of complexion.

Lightning
(Light"ning) n. [For lightening, fr. lighten to flash.]

1. A discharge of atmospheric electricity, accompanied by a vivid flash of light, commonly from one cloud to another, sometimes from a cloud to the earth. The sound produced by the electricity in passing rapidly through the atmosphere constitutes thunder.

2. The act of making bright, or the state of being made bright; enlightenment; brightening, as of the mental powers. [R.]

Ball lightning, a rare form of lightning sometimes seen as a globe of fire moving from the clouds to the earth. — Chain lightning, lightning in angular, zigzag, or forked flashes. — Heat lightning, more or less vivid and extensive flashes of electric light, without thunder, seen near the horizon, esp. at the close of a hot day. — Lightning arrester (Telegraphy), a device, at the place where a wire enters a building, for preventing injury by lightning to an operator or instrument. It consists of a short circuit to the ground interrupted by a thin nonconductor over which lightning jumps. Called also lightning discharger. — Lightning bug (Zoöl.), a luminous beetle. See Firefly. — Lightning conductor, a lightning rod. - - Lightning glance, a quick, penetrating glance of a brilliant eye. — Lightning rod, a metallic rod set up on a building, or on the mast of a vessel, and connected with the earth or water below, for the purpose of protecting the building or vessel from lightning. — Sheet lightning, a diffused glow of electric light flashing out from the clouds, and illumining their outlines. The appearance is sometimes due to the reflection of light from distant flashes of lightning by the nearer clouds.

Lightning
(Light"ning) vb. n. Lightening. [R.]

Light-o'-love
(Light"-o'-love`) n.

1. An old tune of a dance, the name of which made it a proverbial expression of levity, especially in love matters. Nares. "Best sing it to the tune of light-o'-love." Shak.

2. Hence: A light or wanton woman. Beau. & Fl.

Lightroom
(Light"room`) n. A small room from which the magazine of a naval vessel is lighted, being separated from the magazine by heavy glass windows.

Lights
(Lights) n. pl. [So called from their lightness.] The lungs of an animal or bird; — sometimes coarsely applied to the lungs of a human being.

Light-ship
(Light"-ship`) n. (Naut.) A vessel carrying at the masthead a brilliant light, and moored off a shoal or place of dangerous navigation as a guide for mariners.

Lightsome
(Light"some) a.

1. Having light; lighted; not dark or gloomy; bright.

White walls make rooms more lightsome than black.

Bacon.

2. Gay; airy; cheering; exhilarating.

That lightsome affection of joy.

Hooker.