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Enlighten

//ɪnˈlaɪtən// verb

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To supply with light. transitive

    "The sun enlightens the Earth."

  2. 2
    make free from confusion or ambiguity; make clear wordnet
  3. 3
    To make something clear to (someone); to give knowledge or understanding to. figuratively, transitive

    "She tried to enlighten them about the rules of the program, but they remained belligerently and self-righteously ignorant."

  4. 4
    give spiritual insight to; in religion wordnet
  5. 5
    make understand wordnet

Etymology

Formerly also inlighten, from Middle English enlightenen, inlightnen, a hybrid formed from inlighten (“to enlighten, illuminate”), from Old English inlīhtan, onlīhtan, enlīhtan (“to enlighten, illuminate, give light to, give sight to”) and lightnen (“to enlighten, illuminate”) (equivalent to light + -en). Cognate with Dutch inlichten (“to enlighten, inform”), Old High German inliuhten (“to enlighten, illuminate”), Gothic 𐌹𐌽𐌻𐌹𐌿𐌷𐍄𐌾𐌰𐌽 (inliuhtjan, “to enlighten, illuminate”). More at inlight, -en.

See also for "enlighten"

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