lighting up

Verb

light up (third-person singular simple present lights up, present participle lighting up, simple past and past participle lit up or (rare) lighted up)

1. (transitive) To illuminate, to bring light to something, to brighten.
   • The deafening claps of thunder and the dazzling flashes of lightning which lit up the ghastly scene testified that the artillery of heaven had lent its supernatural pomp to the already gruesome spectacle.Episode 12, The Cyclops

   Synonyms:

   lighten, alight, belight, beshine, bright, enlighten, fire, illume, illuminate, illumine

2. (intransitive) To start to emit light; to become activated as a light source.
   • When we cranked up the engine, the fire warning light lit up.2009, President Nixon's Pilot, Jim Bell, in The Propinquity Effect →ISBN

   Synonyms:

   gleam, beam, beshine, glow, illuminate, illumine, shine

3. (figuratively, intransitive) To show an increase in activity or a brightening of mood.
   • Clara's eyes lit up at this highly unusual occurrence.1956 [1880], Johanna Spyri, Heidi, translation of original by Eileen Hall, page 84
4. (transitive) To ignite.
   • Absence might cure it, or a second mistress / Light up another flame, and put out this.1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act I, scene iv, page 12

   Synonyms:

   inflame, kindle, aflame, alight, conflagrate, fire, fire up, ignite, enkindle, light

5. (intransitive) To light a cigarette, pipe, etc.
   • Smoking in this building is not allowed, so I always step outside to light up.

   Synonyms:

   spark up

6. (transitive) To light a cigarette, pipe, etc. for (someone).
   • [He] accepted a cigar from one of his timid admirers. They followed him like Kindergärtner as he pointedly moved away from the Owl before allowing someone to light him up.1976, John Kelly, The Wooden Wolf, New York, N.Y.: Golden Apple Publications, published 1983, →ISBN, page 212

See all 12 meanings of light up