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Webster 1913 Edition


Illuminate

Il-lu′mi-nate

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Illuminated
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Illuminating
.]
[L.
illuminatus
, p. p. of
illuminare
; pref.
il-
in +
luminare
to enlighten, fr.
lumen
light. See
Luminous
, and cf.
Illume
,
Illumine
,
Enlimn
,
Limn
.]
1.
To make light; to throw light on; to supply with light, literally or figuratively; to brighten.
2.
To light up; to decorate with artificial lights, as a building or city, in token of rejoicing or respect.
3.
To adorn, as a book or page with borders, initial letters, or miniature pictures in colors and gold, as was done in manuscripts of the Middle Ages.
4.
To make plain or clear; to dispel the obscurity to by knowledge or reason; to explain; to elucidate;
as, to
illuminate
a text, a problem, or a duty
.

Il-lu′mi-nate

,
Verb.
I.
To light up in token or rejoicing.

Il-lu′mi-nate

,
Adj.
[L.
illuminatus
, p. p.]
Enlightened.
Bp. Hall.

Il-lu′mi-nate

,
Noun.
One who is enlightened; esp., a pretender to extraordinary light and knowledge.
2.
Adorned with pictorial or graphical designs, as a book or page with borders, initial letters, or miniature pictures in colors and gold, as was done in manuscripts of the Middle Ages;
as, an
illuminated
manuscript
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Illuminate

ILLU'MINATE

,
Verb.
T.
[See Illume.] To enlighten; to throw light on; to supply with light. [This word is used in poetry or prose.]
1.
To adorn with festal lamps or bonfires.
2.
To enlighten intellectually with knowledge or grace. Heb.10.
3.
To adorn with pictures, portraits and other paintings; as, to illuminate manuscripts or books, according to ancient practice.
4.
To illustrate; to throw light on, as on obscure subjects.

ILLU'MINATE

,
Adj.
Enlightened.

ILLU'MINATE

,
Noun.
One of a sect of heretics pretending to possess extraordinary light and knowledge.

Definition 2024


illuminate

illuminate

English

Verb

illuminate (third-person singular simple present illuminates, present participle illuminating, simple past and past participle illuminated)

  1. (transitive) To shine light on something.
  2. (transitive) To decorate something with lights.
  3. (transitive) To clarify or make something understandable.
  4. (transitive) To decorate the page of a manuscript book with ornamental designs.
  5. (transitive, figuratively) To make spectacular.
    • 2012 June 2, Phil McNulty, “England 1-0 Belgium”, in BBC Sport:
      Hodgson's approach may not illuminate proceedings in Poland and Ukraine but early evidence suggests they will be tough to break down.
  6. (intransitive) To glow; to light up.
    • 1994, Sylvia Carlson, ‎Verne Carlson, Professional Cameraman's Handbook (ISBN 024080080X), page 494:
      Red diode in button illuminates when camera runs at speed set in five-digit speed selector.
    • 2011/2012, "Spectrum", written by Florence Welch and Paul Epworth, performed by Florence and the Machine, released on the album Ceremonials (2011):
      Say my name / and every color illuminates. / We are shining / []
  7. (intransitive) To be exposed to light.
  8. (transitive, military) To direct a radar beam toward.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

illuminate (plural illuminates)

  1. Someone thought to have an unusual degree of enlightenment.

Adjective

illuminate (comparative more illuminate, superlative most illuminate)

  1. (obsolete) enlightened
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Bishop Hall to this entry?)

Interlingua

Participle

illuminate

  1. past participle of illuminar

Italian

Adjective

illuminate f pl

  1. feminine plural of illuminato

Verb

illuminate

  1. second-person plural present of illuminare
  2. second-person plural imperative of illuminare
  3. feminine plural past participle of illuminare

Anagrams


Latin

Participle

illūmināte

  1. vocative masculine singular of illūminātus

References