heavˈyweight noun

1. A person or thing well above the average weight
2. Someone important or very influential (informal)
3. A competitor in the heaviest class (sport)
4. A weight category, applied esp in boxing
5. A sportsperson of the specified weight for the category (eg in professional boxing above middleweight, light heavyweight (maximum 79kg/175lb), cruisˈerweight (maximum 86kg/190lb), and heavˈyweight any weight above these)

adjective

1. Of or relating to heavyweights
2. Important or influential (informal)

heavy wet noun (old sl)

A drink of strong ale, or ale and porter mixed

be heavily into (informal)

To be keen on or an enthusiastic practitioner of

be heavy going see under going¹

heavy marching order

The condition of troops fully equipped for field service

the heavies

1. The heavy cavalry (military)
2. Those who play heavy parts (theatre)
3. The more serious, highbrow newspapers and journals, etc (informal)
4. (shares in) the heavy industries

light² /līt/

adjective

1. Not heavy
2. Of incorrectly low weight
3. Of work, easily performed
4. Easily digested
5. Containing little fat and/or sugar, and so healthier
6. Containing little alcohol
7. Of bread, well risen
8. Not heavily armed
9. Active
10. Not heavily burdened or equipped
11. Unimportant
12. Not dense, copious or intense
13. Slight
14. Scanty
15. Gentle
16. Delicate
17. Nimble
18. Facile
19. Frivolous
20. Unheeding
21. Cheerful or lively
22. Amusing
23. Unchaste
24. Of soil, loose or sandy
25. Giddy or delirious
26. Idle
27. Worthless
28. In the state of having given birth to a child (in compar; obsolete)
29. Falling short in the number of tricks one has contracted to make (bridge)

adverb

Lightly

transitive verb (obsolete)

To make lighter

lightˈen transitive verb

To make lighter

intransitive verb

To become lighter

lightˈener noun

A cosmetic applied to the skin of the face to mask darker areas

lightˈer noun

A large open boat used in unloading and loading ships

lightˈerage noun

1. Loading, unloading and ferrying by lighters
2. The payment for such service

lightˈish adjective

lightˈly adverb

1. In a light manner
2. Slightly
3. Easily, readily, unthinkingly (Shakespeare)
4. Not improbably (archaic)
5. Promptly

transitive verb

(esp in Scots form lichtly /lihhtˈli/) to slight or make light of

lightˈness noun

lights plural noun

The lungs of an animal (as lighter than the adjoining parts)

lightˈsome adjective

Light, cheerful, lively, cheering

lightˈsomely adverb

lightˈsomeness noun

light air noun (meteorology)

A wind of force 1 on the Beaufort scale, reaching speeds of 1 to 3mph

lightˈ-armed adjective (military)

Armed in a manner suitable for activity

light breeze noun (meteorology)

A wind of force 2 on the Beaufort scale, reaching speeds of 4 to 7mph

light engine noun

One without coaches or trucks attached

lightˈerman noun

A person employed in lighterage

lightˈer-than-air adjective

Of aircraft, kept in the air by gas which is lighter than air

lightˈ-faced adjective (printing)

Of type, having thin lines

lightˈ-fingˈered adjective

1. Light or active with one's fingers
2. Inclined to steal

light flyweight see flyweight under fly

lightˈ-footed (archaic lightˈ-foot) adjective

Nimble, active

lightˈ-handˈed adjective

1. With a light, delicate, or dexterous touch
2. Having little in the hand
3. Empty-handed
4. Insufficiently manned

lightˈ-headˈed adjective

1. Giddy in the head
2. Delirious
3. Thoughtless
4. Unsteady, esp through slight drunkenness

lightˈ-headˈedly adverb

lightˈ-headˈedness noun

lightˈ-heartˈed adjective

1. Unburdened or merry of heart
2. Free from anxiety
3. Cheerful
4. Inconsiderate (archaic)

lightˈ-heartˈedly adverb

lightˈ-headˈedly adverb

lightˈ-heartˈedness noun

light heavyweight see heavyweight under heavy

lightˈ-heeled adjective

1. Swift of foot
2. Loose, unchaste (obsolete)

light horse noun

Light-armed cavalry

light horseman noun

light industry see under industry

light infantry noun

Light-armed-infantry

lightˈ-legged adjective

Swift of foot

light literature, music, etc noun

Such as calls for little mental effort

light middleweight see middleweight under middle

lightˈ-mindˈed adjective

1. Frivolous or unstable
2. Inconsiderate

lightˈ-mindˈedness noun

lightˈ-o'-love noun

1. A fickle or wanton woman
2. In Shakespeare the name of an old dance tune

light railway noun

A railway of light construction

lightˈ-spirˈited adjective

Having a cheerful spirit

light water noun

Normal water (H₂O) as opposed to heavy water (qv)

light-water reactor noun

A reactor using normal water as moderator and coolant (abbrev LWR)

lightˈweight noun

1. A weight category, applied esp in boxing
2. A sportsperson of the specified weight for the category (eg in professional boxing above featherweight, junior lightweight or super featherweight (maximum 59kg/130lb), lightˈweight (maximum 61kg/135lb), and super lightweight or junior welterweight (maximum 63.5kg/140lb))
3. A person of little importance, authority, etc
4. A light article of any kind, eg a motorcycle

adjective

1. Light in weight
2. Lacking substance, earnestness, solemnity, etc (figurative)

lightˈ-winged adjective

1. Having light wings
2. Volatile

lighten up (informal)

1. To relax, calm down
2. To become less serious, angry or otherwise emotional

make light of

To treat as being of little consequence