illuminate
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Related to illuminate: illuminati
il·lu·mi·nate
(ĭ-lo͞o′mə-nāt′)tr.v. il·lu·mi·nat·ed, il·lu·mi·nat·ing, il·lu·mi·nates
1. To provide or brighten with light.
2. To decorate or hang with lights.
3.
a. To make understandable; clarify: "Cleverly made attacks can ... serve to illuminate important differences between candidates" (New Republic).
b. To enlighten intellectually or spiritually; enable to understand: "I greatly misdoubt the accuracy of this ... Can you illuminate me?" (Charles Darwin).
4. To adorn (a page of a book, for example) with ornamental designs, images, or lettering in brilliant colors or precious metals.
5. To expose to or reveal by radiation.
n. (-nĭt)
One who has or professes to have an unusual degree of enlightenment.
[Middle English illuminaten, from Latin illūmināre, illūmināt- : in-, in; see in-2 + lūmināre, to light up (from lūmen, lūmin-, light; see leuk- in Indo-European roots).]
il·lu′mi·nat′ing·ly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
illuminate
vb
1. (tr) to throw light in or into; light up: to illuminate a room.
2. (tr) to make easily understood; clarify
3. to adorn, decorate, or be decorated with lights
4. (Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) (tr) to decorate (a letter, page, etc) by the application of colours, gold, or silver
5. (intr) to become lighted up
adj
archaic made clear or bright with light; illuminated
n
a person who has or claims to have special enlightenment
[C16: from Latin illūmināre to light up, from lūmen light]
ilˈluminative adj
ilˈlumiˌnator n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
il•lu•mi•nate
(ɪˈlu məˌneɪt)v. -nat•ed, -nat•ing. v.t.
1. to supply or brighten with light; light up.
2. to make lucid; clarify.
3. to decorate with lights.
4. to enlighten.
5. to make resplendent: A smile illuminated her face.
6. to decorate (a manuscript or book) with colors and gold or silver.
v.i. 7. to display lights, as in celebration.
8. to become illuminated.
[1400–50; late Middle English < Latin illūminātus, past participle of illūmināre=il- il-1 + lūmināre, v. derivative of lūmen light]
il•lu′mi•nat`ing•ly, adv.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
illuminate
Directing radar energy at an aircraft or surface vessel sufficient to obtain radar targeting information (fire control solution).
Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.
illuminate
Past participle: illuminated
Gerund: illuminating
| Imperative |
|---|
| illuminate |
| illuminate |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Verb | 1. | illuminate - make lighter or brighter; "This lamp lightens the room a bit" lighten up, lighten - become lighter; "The room lightened up" floodlight - illuminate with floodlights spotlight - illuminate with a spotlight, as in the theater |
| 2. | illuminate - make free from confusion or ambiguity; make clear; "Could you clarify these remarks?"; "Clear up the question of who is at fault" | |
| 3. | illuminate - add embellishments and paintings to (medieval manuscripts) artistic creation, artistic production, art - the creation of beautiful or significant things; "art does not need to be innovative to be good"; "I was never any good at art"; "he said that architecture is the art of wasting space beautifully" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
illuminate
verb
1. light up, light, brighten, irradiate, illumine (literary) No streetlights illuminate the street.
light up obscure, dim, overshadow, darken, black out, shade, overcast
light up obscure, dim, overshadow, darken, black out, shade, overcast
2. explain, interpret, make clear, clarify, clear up, enlighten, shed light on, elucidate, explicate, give insight into The instructors use games to illuminate the subject.
explain obscure, cloud, veil, obfuscate, befog
explain obscure, cloud, veil, obfuscate, befog
3. decorate, illustrate, adorn, ornament medieval illuminated manuscripts
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
illuminate
verb2. To make clear or clearer:
Idiom: shed light on (or upon).
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
يُضيء بالأنْوار
osvětlit
belyseoplyse
lÿsa; uppljóma
iliuminacijosiliuminuotiiliustruotaspadedantis išsiaiškinti
apgaismotizskaidrot
razsvetliti
aydınlatmak
illuminate
[ɪˈluːmɪneɪt] VT1. (= light up) [+ room, building] → iluminar; [+ street] → iluminar, alumbrar
the castle is illuminated in summer → en verano el castillo está iluminado
illuminated sign → letrero m luminoso
the castle is illuminated in summer → en verano el castillo está iluminado
illuminated sign → letrero m luminoso
3. (= enlighten) [+ person] → iluminar
4. (Art) illuminated manuscript → manuscrito m iluminado
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
illuminate
[ɪˈluːmɪneɪt] vt [+ room, street] → éclairer
[+ building] → illuminer
(fig) (= shed light on) → éclairer
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
illuminate
vt
(= light up) room, building → erhellen, erleuchten, beleuchten; sky → erleuchten; (spotlight etc) → anstrahlen; (= decorate with lights) → festlich beleuchten, illuminieren; illuminated sign → Leuchtzeichen nt
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
illuminate
(iˈluːmineit) verb to light up. The gardens were illuminated by rows of lamps.
ilˈluminated adjective (of a manuscript) decorated with ornamental lettering or illustrations.
ilˈluminating adjective helping to make something clear. an illuminating discussion.
ilˌlumiˈnation noun1. the act of illuminating.
2. (in plural) the decorative lights in a town etc. Go to Blackpool and see the illuminations.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.