lightnings

Noun

lightning (usually uncountable, plural lightnings)

1. (usually) A flash of light produced by short-duration, high-voltage discharge of electricity within a cloud, between clouds, or between a cloud and the earth.
   • Although we did not see the lightning, we did hear the thunder.
2. (usually) A discharge of this kind.
   • The lightning was hot enough to melt the sand.
3. (figuratively, usually) Anything that moves very fast.
   • Nobs, though, was lightning by comparison with the slow thinking beast and dodged his opponent's thrust with ease. Then he raced to the rear of the tremendous thing and seized it by the tail.1918 September–November, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “The Land That Time Forgot”, in The Blue Book Magazine, Chicago, Ill.: Story-press Corp., →OCLC; republished as chapter V, in Hugo Gernsback, editor...
4. (archaic, slang, usually) Gin.
   • I took some gin but it did little to calm my mood. […] 'Come now, Bess,' she entreated, and poured another glass of lightning. 'Tell your old mother everything.' I took a gulp of the spirit, then babbled all, showing her the loot now in my possession.2017, Jake Arnott, The Fatal Tree

See all 6 meanings of lightning