Lexic.us

Definition of Lightning

1. Noun. Abrupt electric discharge from cloud to cloud or from cloud to earth accompanied by the emission of light.

2. Noun. The flash of light that accompanies an electric discharge in the atmosphere (or something resembling such a flash); can scintillate for a second or more.

Definition of Lightning

1. n. 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. vb. n. Lightening.

Definition of Lightning

1. Noun. The flash of light caused by the discharge of atmospheric electrical charge. ¹

2. Noun. The discharge of atmospheric electrical charge itself. ¹

3. Noun. (figuratively) Anything that moves very fast. ¹

4. Adjective. Extremely fast or sudden. ¹

5. Adjective. Moving at the speed of lightning. ¹

6. Verb. (impersonal childish or nonstandard) To produce lightning. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Lightning

1. [v -NINGED, -NING, -NINGS]

Medical Definition of Lightning

1. 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. 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, especially. at the close of a hot day. Lightning arrester, 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. Origin: For lightening, fr. Lighten to flash. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Lightning

lightlied lightlies lightlike lightly lightly-armed lightly armored lightly armoured lightman lightmap lightmaps

lightmen lightmeter lightmeters lightness lightnesses lightning (current term) lightning-quick lightning arrester lightning bug lightning bugs

lightning conductor lightning conductors lightning detector lightning detectors lightning injuries lightning mapper lightning never strikes twice in the same place lightning rod lightning rods lightning strip

Literary usage of Lightning

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. South Eastern Reporter by West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, West Publishing Company, South Carolina Supreme Court (1912)
"This is true, without reference to whether the lightning rods are shipped ... The ordinance Imposed an occupation tax of $25 "upon lightning rod agents or ..."

2. Journal by Royal Society of Arts (Great Britain) (1875)
"It is hard to understand why lightning conductors should be objects of exceptional luxury, and rain pipes objects of daily need, and the more so when rain ..."

3. Transactions by European Orthodontic Society, Lina Oswald, Northern Ohio Dental Society, Ossory Archaeological Society, Wentworth Historical Society, Society of Automobile Engineers (1910)
"By A IE EA PRACTICAL METHOD OF PROTECTING INSULATORS FROM lightning AND POWER ARC EFFECTS BY LC NICHOLSON The problem of adequately protecting a ..."

4. Encyclopaedia Britannica, a Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, Literature and edited by Hugh Chisholm (1910)
"The figures for Hungary (67) give the number of lightning strokes causing fire; those for the United States (68) give the number of persons killed by ..."

5. The Encyclopedia Americana: A Library of Universal Knowledge (1919)
"This auxiliary path is provided by the lightning arrester which is ... The lightning arrester consists of a path of low impedance which has a means provided ..."

6. The Merchants' Magazine and Commercial Review by Isaac Smith Homans, William B. Dana (1849)
"I ascended the white face peak of the Adirondack in October last, and searched in vain for a tree scathed by lightning on the sides of this high mountain. ..."

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