lighten up


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light·en 1

 (līt′n)
v. light·ened, light·en·ing, light·ens
v.tr.
1.
a. To make light or lighter; illuminate or brighten.
b. To make (a color) lighter.
2. Archaic To enlighten.
v.intr.
1. To become lighter; brighten.
2. To be luminous; shine.
3. To give off flashes of lightning.

light·en 2

 (līt′n)
v. light·ened, light·en·ing, light·ens
v.tr.
1. To make less heavy: I lightened my backpack by removing a large textbook.
2. To lessen the severity or oppressiveness of: lighten the workload. See Synonyms at relieve.
3. To make less worried or more cheerful: lighten the mood.
v.intr.
1. To become less in weight.
2. To become less oppressive, troublesome, or severe.
3. To become cheerful: The mood lightened when the party started.
Phrasal Verb:
lighten up Informal
To take matters less seriously: Everything will work out fine, so stop worrying and lighten up.
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.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Verb1.lighten up - make more cheerful; "the conversation lightened me up a bit"
lighten, buoy up
cheer - show approval or good wishes by shouting; "everybody cheered the birthday boy"
2.lighten up - become more cheerful; "after a glass of wine, he lightened up a bit"
buoy up, lighten
chirk up, cheer up, cheer - become cheerful
3.lighten up - make lighter or brighter; "The paint will brighten the room"
brighten, lighten
alter, change, modify - cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue"
4.lighten up - become lighter; "The room lightened up"
lighten
change - undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature; "She changed completely as she grew older"; "The weather changed last night"
irradiate - cast rays of light upon
illume, illuminate, illumine, light, light up - make lighter or brighter; "This lamp lightens the room a bit"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations

w>lighten up

vi (inf) → die Dinge leichter nehmen; lighten up! → nimms leicht!
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
References in classic literature ?
Once a week the German daily of the highest class lightens up its heavy columns--that is, it thinks it lightens them up--with a profound, an abysmal, book criticism; a criticism which carries you down, down, down into the scientific bowels of the subject--for the German critic is nothing if not scientific--and when you come up at last and scent the fresh air and see the bonny daylight once more, you resolve without a dissenting voice that a book criticism is a mistaken way to lighten up a German daily.
View in context
Chris Sunbaigong, Vice President of Huawei honor, said, "As Ramadan is a time of gratitude, this month we want to express our appreciation to consumers by offering them an unparalleled gaming experience with "Lighten up the New Moon" game through the No.1 mobile browser in Pakistan, UC Browser.
UC Browser, Huawei Honor collaborates in #UCRamadan Pakistan Campaign
Not with the recipes that comprise Virginia Willis' "Lighten Up, Y'all: Classic Southern Recipes Made Healthy and Wholesome", a beautifully and profusely illustrated 232 page compendium showcasing southern cuisine that has been re-worked and modified with recipes that are as palate pleasing and appetite satisfying as they are nutritious and healthy.
Lighten Up, Y'all
It's time to lighten up. And I agree with Jimmy - what happened to manners?
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