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brightadj.n. Origin: A word inherited from Germanic. Etymology: Cognate with Old Saxon berht , Old High German beraht (Middle High German berht ), Old Icelandic bjartr , Old Swedish bärter (Swedish bjärt ), Old Danish bert , biert (Danish bjært ), Gothic bairhts < the same Indo-European base as Welsh berth fair, beautiful, bright, a suffixed form (with dental suffix) of the Indo-European base of Sanskrit bhrāj- to shine and Albanian bardhë white (both with different ablaut grades). With use as noun (in sense B. 1) compare Old English beorhtu , byrhto , Old High German berahtī , Old Icelandic birti , Gothic bairhtei , all in the sense ‘brightness’, showing a feminine (īn -stem) derivative < the same Germanic base; compare also brightness n.The β. forms show metathesis of r. A. adj. I. Visual senses. 1. the world > matter > light > naturally occurring light > [adjective] > of or relating to starlight or bright as the stars OE Ælfric Interrogationes Sigewulfi in Genesin (Corpus Cambr. 162) xxi, in (1884) 7 14 Se syxta [planet] is gehaten mercurrus, micel & beorht. OE Byrhtferð (Ashm.) (1995) ii. iii. 118 Þone oðerne dæg hig heton Monandæg forþon he [sc. the moon] ys beorhtost æfter þære sunnan. c1175 (Burchfield transcript) l. 3431 A steorrne..Full brad & brihht & shene. a1325 (c1250) (1968) l. 951 A michel fier he sag, and an brigt. c1400 ( G. Chaucer (Cambr. Dd.3.53) (1872) ii. §2. 15 The altitude of the Mone, or of brihte sterres. a1522 G. Douglas in tr. Virgil (1957) iii. Prol. 1 Hornyt Lady, pail Cynthia, not brycht. a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) i. i. 85 That I should loue a bright particuler starre. View more context for this quotation 1728 (Royal Soc.) 35 305 That bright Star is Jupiter, whose Place then was 17° in Aries. 1838 June 272 Beneath the bright moon, beneath the bright star, Sing the shrill chorus, and touch the guitar. 1928 2 204 Higher, higher Burn bright fire. 2007 27 Jan. 62/2 The newly discovered galaxy called Leo T is only about 600 light-years across..and 50,000 times brighter than the sun. 1888 7 Apr. (Suppl.) 377/1 An ordinary gas-burner is of 16-candle power. The bright electric lights in the street are 1200 to 1500 candle power. 1989 J. R. Grossman (1991) iv. 117 The Plantation Cafe's bright neon sign suggested dissonant images of the rural South and urban North. 2018 (Nexis) 1 Feb. The iPhone X..features a brighter screen that spans the device from edge to edge. the world > matter > light > intensity of light > [adjective] > bright OE Ælfric (Julius) (1881) I. 106 Hwæt fremað þam blindan seo beorhta sunbeam? c1300 (Laud) (1868) l. 589 A lith ful shir, Also brith so it were day. ?a1475 (1922) 146 (MED) I saw a grett lyght..bryghtere þan þe sunne bem. 1665 G. Swinnock v. 472 All the sins of all men..are as visible to his eye as if they were written with the brightest sunbeam on the clearest chrystal. 1746 J. Hervey 15 They will shine with brighter Beams..in their Lord's everlasting Kingdom. 1860 10 259 We may now trace through space such a curve..and illuminate it with bright electric light. 1966 (National ed.) 28 May (Three Star Final ed.) 35/2 Kingston Green residents are taking full advantage of the clean fresh air and bright sunshine. 2018 (Nexis) 14 Jan. (Advance ed.) (Sunday Arts section) r1 Isn't that bright glow from a smartphone screen distracting to those around it? the world > matter > light > reflection > [adjective] > lustrous or shining with reflected light OE Homily (Corpus Cambr. 421) in A. S. Napier (1883) 262 Þeah we us..gefrætwian mid þy beorhtestan golde. c1225 (?c1200) (Bodl.) (1940) l. 645 Betere a briht iacinct þen a charbucle won. c1300 (Laud) (1868) l. 2610 Þe brinies brihte. c1400 (c1378) W. Langland (Laud 581) (1869) B. Prol. l. 168 A belle of brasse or of briȝte syluer. 1554 D. Lindsay Prol. sig. Bv In habyte gaye and glorious Brychtar nor gold, or stonis precious. a1721 Ld. Buckingham (1740) I. 62 Teeth so bright, and Breath so sweet. 1813 W. Bingley (ed. 4) I. 34 The eyes of the amphibia are in general large and bright. 1949 18 Nov. 23 (advt.) GE Automatic Toaster... Styled in bright chrome with brown bakelite base and fittings. 2017 (Nexis) 10 Apr. You can see the whole glorious neon skyline, like so many bright jewels scattered at your feet. 4. OE 28 Þeah þe lilie sy leof moncynne, beorht on blostman. OE Ælfric (Royal) (1997) xxiii. 368 Swa swa on metinge bið forsewen seo blace anlicnys, þæt seo hwite sy beorhtre gesewen. c1400 (?c1390) (1940) l. 155 A mere mantile..mensked withinne..With blyþe blaunner ful bryȝt. 1608 G. Hakewill (ed. 2) xx. 95 A higher chamber full of lightes, and all parieted over with a bright kind of plaister. 1738 J. Jurin Ess. upon Distinct & Indistinct Vision in R. Smith II. 169/1 Then turning my eyes quite away from the black rectangle to a distant part of the white paper, a bright rectangle, of the same size with the dark one, immediately appeared and continued for some time. 1860 80 386 When..I look intently with the naked eye upon a bright surface as that of a white cloud or a sheet of letter paper in the sunlight, [etc.]. 1950 B. 136 53 By the usual method of direct illumination, the images of unstained spermatozoa appear as black outline pictures on a bright background. 2008 F. Saleh et al. in C. H. Tator v. xxviii. 380 Cyclists should ensure adequate visibility which includes both bright clothing at night and reflective material on the bike itself. the world > physical sensation > use of drugs and poison > tobacco > [adjective] > type of tobacco 1660 R. Beverley Petition in (1875) I. 5 Two thousand five hundred pounds of good, sound, bright and large Arronoca tobacco. 1826 21 Apr. 25/1 I have received your letter of the 28th inst. asking of me a sketch of the culture and management of bright tobacco. 1862 31 July The price of Bright Virginia Tobacco in pound lumps had advanced in Kentucky to 60@75c. 1982 13 177 Acid-cured, the pages flake, fall away, the color of bright Virginia. 2014 D. A. Swanson ii. 49 Bright tobacco brought exceptionally high prices at local and regional markets thanks to its attractive color and mild flavor. 1768 22 Sept. Run away from the subscriber,..a bright Mulatto wench called Lucy,..may pass for a free wench. 1847 I. Jefferson in R. W. Logan (1951) ii. 13 Sally Hemings' mother was a bright mulatto woman & Sally mighty near white. 1938 16 568/1 The advantages which the ‘bright-skinned’ person has over his darker brother within the Negro group are probably ubiquitous in the American culture pattern. 2008 R. Dove in 24 Nov. 91/1 Then this bright-skinned papa's boy could have sailed his fifteen-minute fame straight into the records books. OE Homily (Hatton 113) in A. S. Napier (1883) 141 Nu ðu færst þurh þa beorhtan wegas, ac ðu næfst þær nane wununge. ?a1200 (?OE) (1896) 51 Þus þu hyne scealt lacnige: Do hyne on wearme huse and on beorht [L. mediocriter lucido]. a1400 (a1325) (Trin. Cambr.) l. 4561 (MED) Me þouȝte þat þis ȝonder nyȝt I coom in a medewe briȝt. a1470 T. Malory (Winch. Coll. 13) (1990) II. 1015 The house was as bryght as all the tourcheis of the worlde had bene there. 1615 H. Crooke viii. vi. 557 Dionisius..built a very lightsome and bright chamber which he whitened ouer with lime. 1736 tr. 53 In the bright Region of the fertile East, Where constant Calms smooth Heav'ns unclowded Brow. 1873 July 18 He was brought into a large bright house, where people received him as if he belonged to them. 1966 J. Rockwood ii. 28 Downstage center was the brightest part of the stage and therefore the best..for soliloquies. 2018 (Nexis) 18 Oct. (Property) 10 The kitchen is a bright room that gets good morning light. OE 95 Ond þec, god dryhten, gæstas hergen, byrnende fyr ond beorht sumor, wearme wederdagas. OE Ælfric (Royal) (1997) xxxix. 522 Swa swa se beorhta dæig todræfð þa dymlican þeostru þære sweartan nihte. ?a1300 (c1250) Prov. Hendyng (Digby) xxxiii, in (1881) 4 197 Ofte morewen grei bigrowen, Seþ man þe day faire dowen, And ful briȝt on hende. 1488 (c1478) Hary (Adv.) (1968–9) i. l. 288 Apon the morn quhen that the day was brycht. 1635 J. Swan v. §2. 138 If the colours [of the rain-bow] by degrees grow clearer and clearer till at the last they vanish away, then we may expect fair and bright weather. 1727 D. Defoe III. i. 60 As the drops of Dew in a sunny-bright Morning reflect the rising Light to the Eye, and are as ten thousand Rainbows in miniature. 1833 T. B. Macaulay Armada in 18 That time of slumber was as bright and busy as the day: For swift to east and swift to west the warning radiance spread. 1887 A. A. Hayes 56 The days of bright summer, and lawn tennis..and ice-cream soda. 1970 18 July 1 Mostly cloudy with bright intervals. Few showers or thunderstorms likely. 2007 (Midwest ed.) 30 July ii. 14/1 The most gorgeous day imaginable—bright, sunny, light winds, ideal temperatures and an absence of inclement weather conditions of any kind. the world > matter > light > transparency or translucence > [adjective] OE tr. Bili 20 Oþ þysne andweardan dæg of þære stowe se beorhteste welspring floweþ [L. fons lucidissimus emanat]. c1400 (?c1390) (1940) l. 129 (MED) Good ber & bryȝt wyn. 1549 J. Proctor sig. L.iiii The Christen Reader maye see euen as it were in a bright glasse your crafty and wycked iuggelyng. 1728 J. Thomson 10 From..the brightest Wines, He'd turn abhorrent. 1944 M. Irwin (1956) i. 2 So lovely the day, so bright the air. 2013 A. Hamilton v. xiii. 222 They are almost always bright beers (clear) unless there is something wrong with the barrel. OE tr. (Vitell.) xii. 268 Gyf þu wylle don beorhtne andwlitan, nim fearres scytel, cnuca & bryt & gnid swiðe smale on eced, smyre mid þone andwlatan. c1250 in (1935) 70 233 (MED) Feir he was on bodie & brit he [sc. Abel] was on leore. a1350 (?c1225) (Harl.) (1901) l. 98 Horn þou art..bryht of hewe & shene. c1475 (a1400) Sir Amadace (Taylor) in J. Robson (1842) 50 That ladi gente That was so bryȝte of ble. a1500 (?c1400) Earl of Toulous l. 198 in W. H. French & C. B. Hale (1930) I. 389 (MED) Ther ys none so bryght of blee; Whyte as snowe ys hur coloure, Hur rudde ys radder þen þe rosefloure. 9. the world > matter > colour > state or mode of having colour > [adjective] > brightly coloured OE 482 Ic..asette treow mid telgum, þæt ða tanas up æpla bæron, and git æton þa beorhtan blæda. c1275 (?c1250) (Calig.) (1935) l. 623 Min hus stont briȝt & grene. a1300 (?c1200) (Jesus Oxf.) (1955) 109 Mony appel is bryht wiþ-vte and Bitter wiþ-inne. 1487 (a1380) J. Barbour (St. John's Cambr.) v. 10 The treis begouth to ma Burgeonys and brycht blwmys alsua. ?1557 tr. St. Elisabeth of Schönau sig. G.viiv Wo to you whyche waxe proude in your gaye or bryght clothings. a1744 A. Pope Spring in (1751) I. 48 Here the bright crocus and blue vi'let glow. 1830 F. D. Hemans Better Land in 225 Is it where the feathery palm-trees rise,..And strange, bright birds..Bear the rich hues of all glorious things? 1948 G. Greene (1971) p. ix The crowd of women in bright native dress wearing a kind of black apron and overshirt. 2018 (Nexis) 6 Oct. Putting on a bright lipstick helped me face my hospital appointments with a pep in my step. b. Of colour, or a specific colour: vivid, brilliant, bold. the world > matter > colour > quality of colour > [adjective] > vivid or bright OE 23 Swa hæleð secgað..þætte Iosephes tunece wære telga gehwylces bleom bregdende, þara beorhtra gehwylc æghwæs ænlicra oþrum lixte.., swa þæs deores hiw, blæc brigda gehwæs, beorhtra ond scynra wundrum lixeð. c1275 (?c1250) (Calig.) (1935) l. 152 Whi nel tu flon in to þe bare & sewi þare unker bo Of briȝter howe [a1300 Jesus Oxf. brihtur hewe] of uairur blo. c1400 (?c1390) (1940) l. 2517 (MED) A bende..of a bryȝt grene. a1450 ( tr. Vegetius (Douce) (1988) 185 Þe sonne..somtyme..riseþ cleer & bright..but þanne comeþ a routynge wynde aȝenst hym, þat makeþ the bright colour as reed as fuyre. 1634 J. Bate iii. 124 Orange-tawny. This colour is compounded of a bright red, and a bright yellow. 1854 C. Williams xv. 211 Flowers of brightest hue and richest fragrance. 2001 J. J. Walsh ii. 7 So how did this nearly gaunt, dignified bishop [sc. St Nicholas] come to have a portly body and be dressed in bright red and white? a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xvi. liii. 854 Iacinctus is now blew [L. ceruleus]..now bright blw [L. venetus]. a1500 in J. Evans & M. S. Serjeantson (1933) 117 Ðis ston panterone is of dyuers colors..he is seyne blak, rede, gren, pale, purpil, & ȝelowȝ, & also bryȝt gren in colour. 1585 J. Dee Jrnl. 14 Jan. in (1659) 355 The North Door is bright black, not to be thorough seen. 1696 No. 3201/4 A Bright Bay Nag..with..a shorn Main and bob'd Tail. 1836 N. Hawthorne Jrnl. 25 Oct. in (1978) Wild rose-bushes..with their deep bright-red seed-vessels. 1941 E. Linklater (1947) ix. 125 Beside two bright-green parrots in new cages a sick man lay on the little after-deck. 2017 E. L. Sánchez xviii. 223 She has the kind of mouth that begs for bright red lipstick. II. In extended use. the mind > attention and judgement > esteem > reputation > fame or renown > famous or eminent person > [adjective] OE King Ælfred tr. (Paris) (2001) cxxi. 6 Biddað eow bealde beorhtere sibbe. lOE (Julius A.ii) 8 Æla, frea beorhta, folkes scippend. c1250 in (1935) 70 231 (MED) Lucifer..hedde muchel list, Engel in hewene wonderliche brist. c1330 (?c1300) (Auch.) (1898) l. 406 Ȝif þu wolt sen in þi siht God of heuene, þat is so briht. a1425 Comm. in H. R. Bramley (1884) 2 To buske vs to the blysse ful brigth. 1594 W. Shakespeare sig. K4v Troy had bin bright with Fame, & not with fire. View more context for this quotation 1681 C. Cotton 253 And 'twas the worst, if not the only stain, i'th' brightest Annals of a Female Reign. a1781 R. Watson (1783) ii. 154 Exhibited a bright example of the most heroic valour. 1866 23 Mar. 29/1 Far be it from me to detract in any way from the bright reputation which they have so justly earned. 1952 56 179/1 He trod various paths to the winning of bright renown. 2016 (National ed.) (Nexis) 27 June 30 As the leader of a company with a bright history in Europe, I am disappointed by the referendum result. the mind > attention and judgement > beauty > [adjective] > specifically of persons OE (1931) 1828 Æðelinga eorlas wenað, mæg ælfscieno, þæt þu min sie beorht gebedda. a1300 in C. Brown (1932) 116 Nis non maide..swo fair, so sschene, so rudi, swo bricht. a1450 (c1410) H. Lovelich lii. 766 (MED) Ȝoure dowhter so bryhte. 1594 W. Shakespeare sig. D4v By thy bright beautie was it newlie bred. View more context for this quotation a1744 A. Pope Windsor-Forest (new ed.) in (1751) I. 102 Like the bright Beauties on thy banks below. 1845 L. M. Child (ed. 5) II. 96 Whether any knight..were disposed to do a deed of arms for the sake of his lady bright. 1881 June 597/1 And what of Mabel, she wondered—her Queen Mab, whose bright beauty and loving heart had been to her so precious? 12. OE Homily: Be rihtan Cristendome (Hatton 113) in A. S. Napier (1883) 147 Him amolsniað and adimmiað þa eagan, þe ær wæron beorhte and gleawe on gesihðe. a1225 (?c1175) Poema Morale (Lamb.) l. 75 in R. Morris (1868) 1st Ser. 165 Houene and horþe he ouer sich [?c1250 Egerton ouer-sihð], his eȝen boð swa brichte [a1200 Trin. Cambr. brihte, ?c1250 Egerton britte, a1300 McClean briȝte]. a1325 (c1250) (1968) l. 4147 Moyses is faren..sex score winter old..ðog him lestede hise sigte brigt. ?a1450 tr. Macer (Stockh.) (1949) 88 (MED) Þis oynement shall put a-wey al þe dayssenes of hem [sc. the eyes] and make hem briȝt. 1622 A. Simson xxi. 151 Our eyes are sharp sighted and bright enough to behold the earth, but when we looke to the Sunne they will be dim. 1757 E. Perronet (new ed.) iii. 154 Nor ought avails—th' unequalled pen: Depictur'd—Goddesses or men, How bright or blind their eyes. 1894 5 Aug. 2/2 My ance bright sight is growin' dim. 1998 (Nexis) 13 June 4 This course is really for anyone who wants the benefit of clear bright eyesight for life. the mind > attention and judgement > attention > notice, observation > [adjective] > alert a1819 J. Greenwood (1922) vi. 82 He was much frightened, however, and kept a bright lookout to avoid such a catastrophe. 1886 8 May 303/1 With her canvas snugged down and a bright lookout forward, the old ship..hurried away from those inhospitable seas. 1920 J. B. Connolly 76 I know what that pipe is from seeing periscopes in the movies, and I don't need any movies to tell me that the guy looking up through that pipe is keeping a bright eye on me. 1985 K. Saro-Wiwa xiii. 98 You stay here and keep a bright lookout. I'll soon be back. society > communication > indication > pointing out > [adjective] > obvious OE Ælfric (Cambr. Gg.3.28) xi. 108 Þes eadiga wer benedictus awrat muneca regol mid micclum gesceade, mid beorhtre spræce. a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris (1873) 2nd Ser. 119 Þe holi gost..alihte hem of brihtere and of festere bileue. a1400 (c1300) Northern Homily: Serm. on Gospels (Coll. Phys.) in at Mirk(e He..makid briht The trowthe that ar was mirk als niht. 1540 J. Pylbarough sig. C viv From the darkenes of the ignorant knowlege of god to the bryght knowlege of hym. 1741 I. Watts i. xi. 172 The Querist must not proceed too swiftly.., that he may with more Ease, with brighter Evidence, and with surer Success draw the Learner on. 1862 F. W. B. Bouverie xx. 251 Come, now, Herbert, my boy, tell me the truth—bright truth, you know, without any clouding at all about it. 2007 M. Hofmann 131 A harsh, cold, bright reality in curt speech. 14. the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > audibility > [adjective] > clear the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > resonance or sonority > [adjective] the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > unpleasant quality > shrill quality > [adjective] society > leisure > the arts > music > musical sound > [adjective] > timbre or quality > pure or clear OE Homily: De Sancto Iohanne (Corpus Cambr. 198) in (1885) 8 476 His stemne is swa briht swa beme. c1275 (?c1250) (Calig.) (1935) l. 1681 For bo þe þe hableþ steuene briȝte. a1325 (c1250) (1968) l. 2780 God sente an steuene, brigt and heg. 1823 Aug. 167 In what bright notes of glory would I sing Thee Blest notes of ecstacy! 1895 Mar. 38/2 The singing is bright and crisp, but the parts are somewhat unevenly balanced. 1978 May 1940/2 The strings are bright yet smooth and there is plenty of body. 2018 (Nexis) 6 Oct. 7 We seem to prefer transparent, light, bright sound... It's a basic change in taste from the rather weighty concert style of previous years. 1935 76 67/2 The..bright acoustics of the place left one with a curious impression..of a string quartet heard with preternatural clarity. 2018 (Nexis) 6 Aug. 16 His room is acoustically bright, with a tiled floor and lots of glass and hard surfaces. This tends to make high range sound harsh and overbearing. 15. the mind > mental capacity > expectation > hope > [adjective] the mind > emotion > pleasure > happiness > [adjective] the mind > mental capacity > expectation > hope > optimism > [adjective] a1413 (c1385) G. Chaucer (Pierpont Morgan) (1881) ii. l. 769 A cloudy þought..ouer-spradde hire brighte þoughtes alle. 1656 A. Cowley Davideis iv. 131 in As Glimm'ering stars just at the'approach of Day..at last drop all away, By such degrees all mens bright hopes are gone. 1787 A. Sheldon III. xlvi. 173 I..amused the interval with many a bright dream of fortune. 1835 E. Pickering I. ii. 38 One year, one day—ay, even one hour—of such bright imagining is worth a century of the dull monotony of after-life. 1976 I. Murdoch i. 21 What a sad eclipse of all their bright hopes. 2016 19 Oct. a7/1 On a brighter note, the country is expected to remain on a positive trajectory in recovering from the global financial crisis. the mind > mental capacity > expectation > hope > promise, ground of hope > [adjective] > of circumstances: propitious 1592 G. Babington xii. f. 47v Shall it not shrike shrill in the Lordes eares, and giue a mightie witnesse against brighter dayes, against other tymes. 1657 W. Prynne 331 The many acts of Injustice.., did much blacken that bright time of Peace. 1751 S. Johnson No. 165. ⁋3 The brightest hours of prosperity have their clouds. 1920 Jan. 35 Hundreds of sanguine educators..honestly fancying that they are heralding a bright era of pedagogic pleasure. 2018 (Nexis) 9 Aug. 47 The death of her father in September 1931 cast a shadow on what was otherwise a bright year. the world > action or operation > advantage > [adjective] > advantageous or favourable the world > action or operation > easiness > aid, help, or assistance > support > support or encouragement > [adjective] 1684 in N. Thompson 83 What brighter Prospect canst propose, To Magnifie thy Name, Than Hearts, and Arms, and Power of Those, That Rule both Law and Fame. 1871 E. A. Freeman IV. xviii. 193 Chances of deliverance brighter than any that had offered themselves. 1917 C. Mathewson xiii. 174 Toonalta's chance to pull the game up high and dry looked bright. 2011 16 June (Viewspaper section) 5/3 If we could make a series of shifts, our individual and collective prospects could be brighter. 16. the mind > emotion > pleasure > joy, gladness, or delight > [adjective] > expressive of joy (of looks or actions) > beaming with joy 1559 J. Heywood tr. Seneca iii. sig. C.viv His countenance not now so bright, nor of so liuely chere, But sad and heauye. 1667 L. Mathews xi. 12 Bright cheerful looks! 1733 E. S. Rowe III. 52 From thee one bright unclouded Smile Would all the Torments there beguile. 1896 Feb. 265 She sat thinking of it, with bright eyes.., feeling a keen thrill of unregretting amusement at Ancram's conviction. 1917 S. Leacock xvii. 262 Everywhere were the bright smiling faces of working people, laughing and singing at their tasks. 2018 (Nexis) 12 Jan. 6 Even in the saddest situations..he would be able to change the atmosphere with a bright expression, a massive smile, and a great will to help and do good. the mind > emotion > pleasure > cheerfulness > [adjective] > cheerful and lively a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) iii. ii. 29 Be bright and Iouiall among your Guests. View more context for this quotation 1710 R. Steele No. 208. ⁋4 I would rather be in his Company than that of the brightest Man I know. 1859 May 751/2 Mr. Quien, a keen and bright blade from the Empire State. 1885 15 May 6/1 He turned up today as jaunty and bright as a young buck of twenty-five. 1932 E. Waugh v. 183 Do go in and be bright to your father. 2018 (Nexis) 23 Feb. All of their girls are bright, vivacious and full of life. 1795 A. Hughes I. ii. 28 Who could have foreseen that the Major, after so bright an event [i.e. his wedding], was destined alone to taste the cup of affliction. 1862 F. Wilford xxxv. 533 It was a bright wedding altogether, and perhaps no face among that wedding company was happier than Lambert's. 1946 R. Wells & M. Tormé (sheet music) 1 Ev'rybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe Help to make the season bright. 2016 (Nexis) 25 July This usually bright comedy takes a turn for the sinister when Steph..makes a terrible mistake. the mind > mental capacity > understanding > intelligence, cleverness > wit, wittiness > [adjective] > bright, sparkling 1619 E. M. Bolton in tr. Florus To Rdr. sig. A5v His generous, bright, and flowrie writings (the best memoriall) are aliue, and now translated into our vulgar. 1709 R. Steele No. 31. ⁋10 You'll certainly print this bright Conversation. 1781 S. Johnson Pope in VII. 270 If he has brighter paragraphs, he has not better poems. 1858 O. W. Holmes ii. 29 I really believe some people save their bright thoughts, as being too precious for conversation. 1918 A. G. Gardiner 61 I thought of a bright thing to say now and then, but I was always so slow in getting away from the mark that I never got it out. 2002 9 May (Prince George's Extra section) 24/1 A good-size matinee audience..made their way to the theater.., trading bright sunshine for Wilde's bright repartee. 18. a. the mind > mental capacity > understanding > intelligence, cleverness > high intelligence, genius > [adjective] the mind > mental capacity > understanding > intelligence, cleverness > high intelligence, genius > [adjective] > esp. of children 1707 S. Wesley iii. 44 Their Minds are unavoidably crampt, as a bright Lad's at a paultry Grammar School in a Country Village. 1824 W. Irving I. 203 I began life unluckily by being the wag and bright fellow at school. 1949 49 512/1 Bright children are often expected, because of mental superiority, to possess other attributes in a degree far transcending actualities. 2013 120 695 Many of these bright students ended up with successful careers in engineering, economics, and computer sciences. 1786 H. More 71 And Carter taught the female train, The deeply wise are never vain; And she who Shakespeare's wrongs redrest, Prov'd that the brightest are the best. 1884 23 Oct. 1030/2 Of course the desire is to have only the brightest in our colleges. 1969 A. Bennett i. 44 It's just going to be like the last one [sc. the last war], taking all the brightest and best. 2013 14 Jan. 16/3 We want the brightest and best to make careers in our universities. b. Of an idea, action, etc. the mind > mental capacity > understanding > intelligence, cleverness > [adjective] 1815 W. Scott I. xiv. 234 A bright idea then occurred, that Colonel Mannering might have employed some other person in the transaction. 1886 C. A. Ward in 77 542 A bright idea is lost on the masses, and the smoke of verbosity is required to make it receptible by their understanding. 1970 G. F. Newman v. 130 It wasn't very bright threatening to break Evan's arms. 2003 Mar. 35 Here's a bright idea—an e-map that shows routes people actually use. the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > stupidity, dullness of intellect > [adjective] > of actions, ideas, etc. the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > foolishness, folly > [adjective] > of things, actions, etc. 1830 29 May 687 And then, the bright idea of punishing me by driving me back to Long Island, out of the reach of the Thing's taxes! 1975 ‘E. Ferrars’ vi. 82 ‘Some mothers do have 'em’, she said drily. ‘Do you think that bright idea of yours would make Helen feel better?’ 2009 11 May 71/2 Oh, God, another God-damned bright idea from the business world. 1828 Mar. 91 Pippins have a sharp, bright flavour. 1890 21 June 582/1 The crispness of the salading and the bright flavour of the dressing. 1984 Mar. 128/3 Cabbage tree blooms smell as bright as their appearance, like a Guy Fawkes sparkler. 2014 Sept. 112/3 I love yeasty, leesy Champagnes, but with sparkling wines from the New World, I prefer clean, crisp and bright. society > leisure > the arts > music > musical sound > duration of notes > proportion of notes or rhythm > [adjective] > type of rhythm society > leisure > the arts > music > musical sound > duration of notes > tempo > [adjective] > specific tempo 1872 15 Nov. 106/2 The terse and bright rhythms..of Croft, Greene, and Boyce. 1947 17 May 129/2 Takes both at a bright tempo, with fiddle, guitars and piano keeping it toe-tapping. 1993 Feb. 52/3 The music has a bright, attractive, essentially ‘now’ swagger to it. 2017 (Nexis) 19 June 14 The tune Cryptostatic was then played at a bright tempo with stunning brilliance. B. n.the world > matter > light > intensity of light > [noun] > brightness OE 59 Þis leohte beorht cymeð morgna gehwam ofer misthleoþu. OE (1992) v. 120 We hæfdon æfre wonisse & unsybbe wið englum, & we wæron aworpene & ascadene fram hiora beorhte & fram hiora clænnisse [L. a quorum claritate atque munditia]. a1325 (c1250) (1968) l. 143 Ðe sunnes brigt Is more ðanne ðe mones ligt. a1413 (c1385) G. Chaucer (Pierpont Morgan) (1881) ii. l. 864 What is the sonne wers of kynde right, Though þat a man for feblesse of his eyen, May nought endure on it to se for bryght. c1500 in C. Brown (1939) 12 (MED) All blody was the brighte of his blee. 1598 S. Rowlands sig. Hij O Sunne whose shine is heav'ns eternall bright. 1667 J. Milton iii. 380 Dark with excessive bright thy skirts appeer. View more context for this quotation 1848 P. J. Bailey (ed. 3) 199 Others..whose forms for utter bright Are indefinable. 2013 A. G. Lloyd 116 The violent bright of the fluorescent showing the grime everywhere and the sneer that kept steeling his mouth. the mind > attention and judgement > beauty > [noun] > beautiful thing or person > beautiful person > beautiful woman c1400 (?c1380) l. 755 (MED) Breue me, bryȝt, quat kyn oftriys [read offys] Berez þe perle so maskellez. 1488 (c1478) Hary (Adv.) (1968–9) v. l. 607 Throuch bewte off that brycht. a1513 W. Dunbar (1998) I. 106 In secreit place this hyndir nycht I hard ane beyrne say till ane bricht. 1636 tr. J. Desmarets de Saint-Sorlin i. ii. 17 Acknowledging here so much brights, and beauties,..[and] judging well how difficult it is to avoyd the faire desires you give birth to. 1860 9 282/1 A flesh-and-blood cottager's wife.., with five children, and her husband beside, to make, mend, and cook for, her ‘brights’ to polish, and her cottage to keep like Paton's interior. 1913 M. E. Mann xxx. 298 Emily,..with a black rag dipped in whitening, was polishing the ‘brights’, as she called her tin and pewter ware. 1940 16 Apr. 3/4 There is something about shining ‘brights’ which gives a homeliness to the house. 4. 1885 H. W. Beecher ii. xv. 395 There is no instruction provided..in our schools, on these fundamental differences among mankind. Men are left to pick them up; the stupid never do, and the bright do, and use them to their own advantage. 1964 27 130 Perhaps the bright are manipulative, and their brightness rather than their manipulative skills contributed to their grade point averages. 2010 (Nexis) 18 June (Comment section) 2 The bright are to be challenged, and the ‘challenged’ brightened. 1937 42 677 To what extent do the brights marry as compared with the dulls, and how well does the dull fertility hold up after several generations? 2004 (Nexis) 8 Nov. a13 Something I learned as a ‘bright’ in a classroom of bright-to-genius girls. Very often, the genius classmates made poor personal decisions, and they seemed to lack the common sense of the simply brights. 1891 9 Dec. 668/4 The rest of the bright oranges go as ‘brights’. 1938 23 Jan. f7/2 Spain has been off the market for Virginia-Carolina ‘brights’ since the war there began. Her tobacco supplies have been met by taking leaf out of storage. 1981 21 Nov. 33/3 Coal, however, is fragile. What starts out as valuable Derby brights can be turned into nutty slack by a bit of haphazard shunting on British Rail. 1920 F. King Gasoline Alley (comic strip) in 2 July 14/2 Hey Mister, your lights are burning!.. Your brights are on! 1970 S. Bellow (1972) v. 153 Emil turned his brights on the front door. 2005 (National ed.) 26 June iii. 12/3 We need to be driving with our brights, because if we're driving with our dims somebody's going to come in from the side of the road and knock us off. 1933 19 Oct. 7/3 (advt.) New Underthings... Muted colors. Even the brights are as subtle as Della Robbia porcelain. 1982 26 Sept. (Long Island Weekly section) 1/4 The addition of NTA [= sodium nitrilotriacetate] to detergents would produce whiter whites and brighter brights, but..longterm exposure to the chemical could pose a health hazard. 2014 May 54 (advt.) Take your pick from..dreamy pastels, monochromes and hot brights to name but of few of the tasty trends on offer. Phrases1785 J. O'Keeffe ii. i. 31 Her eyes are as bright as de polish of de Birmingham button.] 1795 ‘Kadanda’ in 4 May 4/1 As sweet as molasses her lips—As bright as a button her eyes. 1834 N. Hawthorne Mr. Higginbotham's Catastrophe in Dec. 454 She was a fine smart girl, now wide awake and bright as a button. 1990 B. Wilson 119 Bright as a button in school—three prizes, can you believe it, at the last school closing. 2008 R. Hill (2009) iii. iv. 373 Here's this young lass, bright as a button, sharp eyes taking everything in. P2. bright young thing n. 1842 H. Campbell II. x. 152 Tears were somehow or other a strange and unfamiliar image in connexion with the bright young thing before him. 1904 R. Hichens i. 8 Old ladies of a certain class..like me. They think me ‘a bright young thing’. And so I am. 2014 47 150 Culpepper was aware of the growing impact of youth culture in the publishing business, and he marketed himself as a bright young thing with a potential bestseller. society > society and the community > social class > the common people > specific classes of common people > fashionable society > [noun] > member of > female 1924 22 May (Third ed.) 7/6 They belonged to a new sect in the world of fashion—the Society of Bright Young People—and were engaged on a new game. 1931 R. Aldington iii. 142 The Bright Young Idiots, who seem determined to queer the whole pitch to the puritans, by being as vicious as they can. 1936 15 July 14/5 There is a section of the community..whose life seems to consist of cocktail and sherry parties, cabarets and midnight revelries... These are decadent ‘bright young things’. 2016 A. Sisman in P. L. Fermor 187 (note) The three vivacious daughters of the brewing heir Ernest Guinness, all ‘Bright Young Things’ in the inter-war years. Compoundsthe mind > attention and judgement > beauty > [adjective] > specifically of persons > of face the mind > attention and judgement > beauty > splendour > [adjective] > radiant the mind > attention and judgement > beautification > types of ornamentation > [adjective] > studded or set with ornaments the world > life > the body > hair > types of hair > [adjective] > lustrous the world > life > the body > external parts of body > head > face > types of face > [adjective] the world > life > the body > external parts of body > head > face > cheek > [adjective] > types of cheek > having a1560 T. Phaer tr. Virgil (1562) ix. sig. Ee. iv Brightheaded Phebus..beheld..bothe Latynes hoasts and Troian fort. 1598 G. Chapman tr. Homer i. 294 Bright-cheek'd Briseis. 1645 J. Milton Il Penseroso in 38 Bright-hair'd Vesta. a1800 W. Cowper Gratitude in W. Hayley (1803) II. 267 This wheel-footed studying Chair,..Bright-studded to dazzle the eyes. 1827 J. Keble II. lxxv. 93 The bright-hair'd morn is glowing. 1859 I. Taylor vi. 233 He enjoyed the companionship of Gregory Nazianzen, Basil, and other bright-witted and ‘fast’ young men of that babbling place. 1934 A. E. Mulgan 310 They climbed into a four-wheeled buggy..which a bright-faced cadet..had driven down the day before. 2013 20 May 95/1 Food is served on bright-colored Fiestaware. C2. 1771 J. Hill 349 (table) Bright coal... Heavy. Flaky, and clean. Shining black. 1874 13 125 Soft coals yielding a large amount of charcoal enclosed in bright coal nearly always show plenty of structure in the ‘mother coal’. 2005 29 223/1 Coals of the Beluga Formation are commonly 0.5 to 2 m thick..and interspersed with vitrain (bright coal) bands. 1808 2 Nov. Bright cut steel fenders. 1869 D. Bremner 124 The annealing in soldering destroys the bright cut of the engraving. 1907 G. D. Hiscox 385 Immerse the graver in any of the mixtures before making the bright-cut. 1997 B. C. Wees 197/1 The upper surface of the base is engraved in bright-cut with a pattern of leaf forms. 2006 M. E. Wieseman in J. Aronson & M. E. Wieseman 103/2 The back of the case is engraved with bright-cut designs surrounding a reveal containing an ivory plaque with the initials MC worked in hair. 1837 10 444 Previously to the application of the enamel, various patterns and devices are bright-cut in the metal with the graver or the rose-engine. 1918 2 Oct. 129/2 To bright cut aluminum, use a mixture of melted vaseline and kerosene on your graver. 1993 June 409/1 The upper borders are bright cut with anchors and scallop shells and the lower horizontal borders engraved with garlands. the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electronics > electronic devices or components > thermionic valve > [noun] > vacuum tube or thermionic valve 1923 9 Nov. 7/5 The newest dull emitter consumes .06 ampere at 2.5-3 volts, which..represents..approximately one-fifteenth of the energy required by the older type of bright emitter valves. 1970 D. F. Shaw (ed. 2) x. 209 Oxide-coated cathodes..glow a dull red and they are therefore called dull emitters, contrasted with tungsten filaments which are bright emitters. 2005 B. A. Hennessy & J. Hennessy v. 185 The last stage [of amplification] consisted of four valves in parallel, these being bright emitters and giving such a strong glare that it was necessary to shield the valves. the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electronics > electronic devices or components > thermionic valve > [adjective] > specific types of valve 1924 7 June p. cxcvi/2 It may be observed that dull emitter valves have a longer life than those with bright emitting filaments. 1984 54 303/1 In January 1920 work was reported on dull as distinct from bright emitting filaments. 1772 26 Dec. Stolen Yesterday a Silver Watch with a green studded outside Case, and the Inside bright, engraved [punctuation sic], Maker's Name Strigells, with several Seals. 1893 9 Aug. 20/3 Cigar cases have wonderful roosters in lacquer and bright engraved plumage. 1987 5 Mar. 68 (advt.) A George III bright-engraved teapot by Hester Bateman, 1785. 1845 Rep. Secretary of Navy 15 in (28th Congr., 2nd Sess.: Senate Doc. 114) VII Its wires are illuminated by small lamps.., or the field is illuminated by a similar lamp.., enabling the observer to have bright lines and dark field, or bright field and dark lines, at will.] 1872 6 531 Immersion achromatic condensers for transparent (bright-field) illumination have not yet received sufficiently extensive trial. 1987 D. J. Johnson in P. A. Thrower XX. 41 A typical bright-field image of one such inclusion is shown in Fig. 29. 2015 112 8643/1 Cells were..stained in 0.5% crystal violet/methanol..and analyzed by bright-field microscopy. the world > physical sensation > use of drugs and poison > tobacco > [noun] > other types of tobacco 1785 25 The characters of Bloom teas, are as follow: The pale bright leaf. The close twisted leaf. The large leaf [etc.]. 1834 J. T. Ducatel & J. H. Alexander 31 Within a few years, the cultivation of the tobacco-plant has been commenced, and in the newly cleared lands, is produced the bright-leaf staple, which always commands a high price. 1868 7 Dec. 586/2 Green [tea].—The early part of the fortnight there was a good trade doing in medium to fine bright leaf Young Hyson and Gunpowder, at 1s. 6d. to 2s. 4d. per lb. 1933 Aug. 250/2 The [Cacao] moths have a preference for bright-leaf kiln-cured tobacco. 1956 7 Nov. 62/4 Bright-leaf low-growns and low-mediums advanced by about 20 Ceylon cents a pound. 2013 14 Apr. 39/2 I will never forget..the brightleaf I smoked from a Hardcastle Rhodesian late one night on my grandfather's farm. society > leisure > entertainment > place of amusement or entertainment > [noun] > town or city as 1916 24 201 Their failure to establish attractions which could compete with the ‘bright lights’ of the city. 1989 T. Parker vii. 72 Bird's a good community to live in so long as you're not looking for the bright lights and razzmatazz. 2011 Z. Strachan 131 So, have you two been enjoying the bright lights then? 1637 H. Church 194 So it is with Christians, the world sees their infirmities and afflictions, but there is a bright side they see not. 1777 J. Trumbull Let. 1 Dec. in G. Washington (2002) Revolutionary War Ser. XII. 504 (note) Altho' Clouds & thick Darkness surround us, yet on view of the bright Side..my Faith and Hope are unshaken. 1839 J. Romilly Diary 14 Jan. in (1967) 162 She is..very talkative & disposed to look on the bright side of every thing. 1908 L. M. Montgomery xxiii. 259 I expect I have sprained my ankle. But, Marilla, I might have broken my neck. Let us look on the bright side of things. 2017 A. Silvera 18 But hey, if there's one bright side to your dying, it's that you aren't around to tell me things I don't like hearing. 1872 27 July 3/7 Of course, a bright spark like this could not do without a ‘lady’, and, therefore, he had been living with one. 1960 ‘J. Winton’ (1963) iv. 56 ‘We've got a good crowd here on the whole,’ Tubby Rowlands said. ‘The Commander's quite a bright spark.’ 2011 (Nexis) 7 Dec. (Local section) 2 Some bright spark decided it would be a good idea to rip the lights off the community Christmas tree at Mona Vale on Saturday night and attempt to set fire to it. 1769 tr. G. Dragonetti xi. 139 That imperial invitation of french d'Alembert to the court of the Czarina must ever be a bright spot [It. il punto più luminoso] of russian history. 1872 11 Amid all these miseries and horrors there is one bright spot—there is one bright spot in the story of barbarity. 1905 2 Nov. 7 The only bright spot in the match for them was the potted goal by the full-back, Lillicrap, a fine performance. 2012 P. S. Boyer v. 69 The one bright spot in this shameful decision was a stinging dissent. society > travel > travel by water > vessel, ship, or boat > parts of vessels > other parts of body of vessel > [noun] > polished metal work society > travel > means of travel > a conveyance > vehicle > powered vehicle > parts and equipment of motor vehicles > [noun] > body or bodywork > polished metal work 1717 W. Sutherland 135 All Locks, especially bright Work, ought to be well oyled and kept clean. 1836 21 Dec. 8/6 (advt.) A very superior eight-horse power low pressure portable Steam Engine, got up with bright work in the most expensive manner. 1912 ‘Aurora’ i. 10 The bright-work on the quarter-deck..shone like silver. 1962 25 May 18/5 Anodized aluminium is used for most of the external brightwork, including the bumpers [of the car]. 2007 May 71/1 I have seen boats that were built as if they were fine violins..the bright work mirrored under six coats of glass smooth varnish. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2019; most recently modified version published online June 2022). brightv.Origin: A word inherited from Germanic. Etymology: Originally < the Germanic base of bright adj. (although the original stem form is unclear: see note); in some later uses perhaps partly directly < bright adj. Compare the following (cognate or similarly formed) Germanic weak verbs: Gothic bairhtjan and (prefixed) gabairhtjan to reveal (Class I), Old High German giberahtōn to glorify, to reveal (Class II; Middle High German geberhten ), Old Icelandic birta to illuminate, to reveal (Class I), all transitive, and also (intransitive) Old High German berahtēn to become bright (Class III; rare). Compare brighten v.There is some uncertainty about the original stem class in Germanic; more than one formation may be represented. In Old English, inflection both as weak verb Class I (late West Saxon byrhtan ) and as weak verb Class II (beorhtian) is attested, but these are already partly merged and their forms are not always distinguishable. The attested unprefixed forms are chiefly intransitive. Corresponding prefixed forms gebyrhtan and gebeorhtian (compare y- prefix) are also attested and are chiefly transitive. The prefixed past participle forms gebyrhted and gebeorhtod could be interpreted as deriving from either the unprefixed or the prefixed verb, but in passive use are more likely to show the latter (compare e.g. quot. eOE at sense 2a). In the light of these as well as the prefixed Old High German and Gothic forms, it has been suggested that the underlying (transitive) Germanic base was also prefixed (with the Germanic base of y- prefix, which would not be reflected in Old Icelandic). Compare also (with different prefix) Old English onbyrhtan to illuminate (compare on- prefix). Specific senses. In senses 2 and 3 in later use partly superseded by brighten v. Now regional and nonstandard. †1. the world > matter > light > shine [verb (intransitive)] eOE tr. Bede (Tanner) iii. xiv. 218 Ond þær his geearnunge oft..mid miclum mægenum scinað & beorhtað [L. multis..claruisse uirtutibus]. OE (1992) iv. 96 He glitenað swa steorra, & lyht swa mone, & beorhtaþ swa sunna. OE King Ælfred tr. (Paris) (2001) cxliii. 7 Þine ligetta leohteð and beorhteð [probably read leohtað and beorhtað]. OE (2008) 1161 Gamen eft astah, beorhtode bencsweg. 2. the world > matter > light > intensity of light > [verb (transitive)] > brighten eOE King Ælfred tr. Boethius (Otho) (2009) I. xx. 474 Ealle steorr[a]n weorðað onlihte and gebirhte of þære sunnan.] OE 1089 Sceadu beoð bidyrned þær se leohta beam leodum byrhteð. c1350 Psalter (BL Add. 17376) in K. D. Bülbring (1891) cxxxviii. 11 (MED) Þe nyȝt shal be briȝted [L. illuminabitur] as þe daie. c1540 (?a1400) (2002) f. 15 Ryses the sun, Brightis all the burghe and the brode valis. 1686 J. Goad i. v. 14 He [sc. the Sun] brighteth the Air into a chearful Saphir. 1830 May 8209/1 The far-flashing beams brighted the polar night. 1886 20 Aug. 5/5 The waterfall when brighted up by electricity is a magnificent sight. 2007 A. French ix. 195 That early-mornin sunlight was comin through the window, brighting up the flowers on her long dress. OE (Northumbrian) xii. 28 Pater clarifica tuum nomen..et clarficaui et iterum clarificabo : fæder doa berhtne noma..& ic berhtnade & eftersona ic berhte [OE Lindisf. Gospels breht']. ?c1225 (?a1200) (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 281 Luue þeschireð & brichteð þe heorte. a1400 (Pepys) (1976) 124 His belys..þat clensen his childer and briȝtten hem. 1614 A. Gorges tr. Lucan v. 187 And that high powre that Latium brights, Should haue his Ceremoniall rites. 1668 J. Horn vi. 132 Things that he..orders to befal them, as means of brighting, purifying, and profiting them. 1795 J. Searson 16 Phillis appears, and brights the rural grove. O view her mein and walk, how straight she goes. 1919 25 Apr. Our boys will soon be all back with us again and many a home will be brighted up by the return of a soldier-hero. 1997 K. Heyman iv. 21 Mal stepped forward, his teeth brighting up his face, his breath and hands steady. the world > matter > light > intensity of light > [verb (intransitive)] > brighten OE tr. (Vitell.) v. 248 Wið eagena dymnysse, haran geallan wið hunig gemencged & mid gesmyre[d], þa eagan gebeorhtigeaþ [?a1200 Harl. 6258B ʒebeorhtiʒed; L. ad claritatem oculi perveniunt].] lOE Homily: Gospel of Nicodemus (Vesp. D.xiv) in R. D.-N. Warner (1917) 83 Þa þa he [sc. Iohannes] in com, þa brihtode eall helle. a1450 (Cambr. Dd.1.17) (1845) l. 1997 The clerkys..made ham at ese that nyght, Til on morwen the day bryght. 1830 W. N. GLascock 165 ‘But now,’ says he, brighting up a bit, for all the world like a flash o' sunshine..,—‘but now I have it in my power to grant you redress.’ 1862 J. W. Hagen Let. 27 July in (1958) 38 180 The Skye is brighting in the west. 1998 J. E. Wideman (1999) 52 You're walking in the park and notice out the corner of your eye a lightning bug brighting up like a match. 2011 @MichelleChisolm 1 Feb. in twitter.com (O.E.D. Archive) Love to see that little face bright up. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2019; most recently modified version published online December 2021). brightadv. Origin: A word inherited from Germanic. Etymology: Cognate with or formed similarly to Old High German berahto < the Germanic base of bright adj. + a suffix forming adverbs. Compare (with different suffix) Gothic bairhtaba , adverb. Compare brightly adv. the world > matter > light > intensity of light > [adverb] > brightly eOE King Ælfred tr. Boethius (Otho) (2009) I. xxvi. 502 Gesihst þu nu..hu ða goodan scinað beorhtor þonne sunne? OE (2008) 1517 Fyrleoht geseah, blacne leoman beorhte scinan. a1225 (c1200) (1888) 33 Ele..wile on lampe bernen brihte. c1300 St. Brendan (Laud) l. 42 in C. Horstmann (1887) 221 Preciouse stones þat briȝtte schynen. a1400 (a1325) (Vesp.) l. 8295 Þis angel þat sa bright scan. c1450 (c1400) (1908) l. 394 (MED) Þe cloth vpon her shone so bryȝth. 1600 W. Shakespeare v. i. 1 The moone shines bright . View more context for this quotation 1827 J. Keble II. lxxxvii. 143 He dreams he sees a lamp flash bright. 1865 Feb. 6/1 Myriads of stars were gleaming bright. 1954 27 Sept. 8 (advt.) [The shoe polish] softening, preserving, and shining so bright you can actually see your face in it. 2017 (Nexis) 6 June 9 Eleven candles burned bright in Kerang yesterday as families gathered to pay tribute to their loved ones. the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > audibility > [adverb] > clear the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > resonance or sonority > [adverb] OE Ælfric (Julius) (1881) I. 482 And he sona wearð hal beorhte locigende, seðe blind wæs geboren. c1230 (?a1200) (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 81 Þenne schule ȝe al þis brihte [a1250 Nero brihtliche] understonden. c1275 (?c1250) (Calig.) (1935) l. 1656 Heo..song so schille & so brihte. a1325 (c1250) (1968) l. 3763 Ðan sulde we brigte sen, Quilc gure sal god quemest ben. 1592 G. Babington xlii. f. 163v If Christ touch wee see full bright, but not before. 1650 Bp. J. Taylor 21 The soul works clearer, and understands brighter..than it can do here. 1851 A. M. Lorrain ix. 222 The rich man saw—saw brighter than he ever saw in this world. 1858 E. G. Smith tr. M. Uhlemann 170 They sang bright and clear In the foeman's land! 2005 R. Kelly viii. 71 When her eyelids were closed, she saw bright and clear. the world > matter > colour > quality of colour > [adverb] > vivid or bright c1400 (?c1380) (1920) l. 114 Ay þe best byfore & bryȝtest atyred. a1450 (?1400) in J. Kail (1904) 6 That other [man] clothed in gawdy gren, Blasande briȝt, embrowdid gay. 1610 G. Fletcher 36 Flagging colours shine as bright as smiling day. 1869 J. MacGregor xx. 364 The soft carpet of grass is patterned bright with wild flowers. 2004 I. Edghill 11 Past the walls painted bright with leopards and lilies..lay the Temple's Inner Court. Phrasesthe world > time > day and night > day or daytime > morning > [adverb] 1805 9 Mar. 99/1 I got up bright and early. 1871 8 79 Thursday morning, bright and early, we took a ride around the premises. 1919 P. G. Wodehouse vi. 73 And this morning, bright and early, the beak parted him from ten quid. 2011 7 Mar. 42/1 Those people she passed..weren't up bright and early—they were up dark and late, looking for a fix. Compoundsthe world > matter > light > intensity of light > [adjective] > bright the world > matter > properties of materials > temperature > heat > burning > fire or flame > [adjective] > of the nature of or resembling flame > flaming or blazing the world > matter > light > illumination > [adjective] > illuminated or lit up > well a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden (St. John's Cambr.) (1879) VII. 33 For in þe welcon was i-seie stella comata, þat is, a sterre wiþ a briȝt shynynge crest, þat bodeþ alwey pestilence. 1594 W. Shakespeare iii. i. 69 What foole hath..brought a faggot to bright burning Troy? View more context for this quotation 1633 P. Fletcher Poeticall Misc. 88 in Thy love, thy light, thy faces Bright-shining graces,..How farre surmount they lifes winter day! 1795 R. Burns (1968) II. 788 Where bright-beaming summers exalt the perfume. 1921 5 Nov. 54/1 The wooden-faced maid let him in and took him to a bright-lit room down the hall. 2005 R. W. Bulliet vi. 109 The Vedic peoples of India..commonly offered the gods bright-burning clarified butter (ghee) in the sacrificial rituals. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2019; most recently modified version published online June 2022). < |
