lights: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
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Quick answer
What does “lights” mean?
the plural form of 'light', primarily referring to sources of illumination, devices that produce light, or areas illuminated by them.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
the plural form of 'light', primarily referring to sources of illumination, devices that produce light, or areas illuminated by them.
Used more abstractly to refer to understanding, attention, guidance, or famous individuals (e.g., 'leading lights').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling in compounds: BrE 'street lights', AmE 'streetlights'. Minor usage: BrE more likely to refer to 'fairy lights', AmE 'string lights'. In aviation/maritime contexts, 'navigation lights' is standard in both.
Connotations
Largely identical. 'Lights' in the context of 'Christmas lights' is slightly more common in AmE.
Frequency
Very high and similar frequency in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “lights” in a Sentence
turn on/off the lightsswitch the lights on/offput out the lightslook at the lightsbe blinded by the lightsVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “lights” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- She lights the candles on the dinner table.
- The sky lights up with fireworks.
American English
- He lights the grill for the barbecue.
- The screen lights up when you touch it.
adverb
British English
- He travels light(s) with just a backpack.
- She packed light for the weekend.
American English
- He travels light with just a duffel bag.
- She always packs light.
adjective
British English
- She prefers lights chocolate to dark.
- He smoked lights cigarettes.
American English
- She prefers light chocolate to dark.
- He smoked light cigarettes.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"We need to green-light this project." (Metaphorical use from traffic lights).
Academic
"The study illuminates the subject, shedding new lights on the data." (Metaphorical).
Everyday
"Please turn off the lights when you leave the room."
Technical
"The instrument panel lights indicated a system failure."
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “lights”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “lights”
- Incorrect: 'A lights is broken.' Correct: 'One of the lights is broken.' or 'A light is broken.'
- Incorrect: 'I saw a beautiful lights.' Correct: 'I saw beautiful lights.'
- Incorrect: 'Turn on light.' Correct: 'Turn on the light/lights.'
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not in standard usage. It is the plural of 'light'. However, compound nouns like 'traffic lights' can be treated as a singular concept ('The traffic lights is broken' is incorrect; 'The traffic light is broken' or 'The traffic lights are broken' are correct).
'Light' is singular, referring to one source or the general phenomenon. 'Lights' is plural, referring to multiple sources or specific fixtures. It also has specific idiomatic uses ('lights out', 'bright lights').
The correct adverbial phrase is 'travel light' (without 's'), meaning to travel with little luggage. 'Lights' here would be incorrect.
They are often interchangeable in casual contexts ('turn on the lights/lamps'), but not perfectly synonymous. 'Lights' is broader, encompassing any source (sun, fire, bulb). 'Lamps' specifically refer to manufactured devices with a base and shade.
the plural form of 'light', primarily referring to sources of illumination, devices that produce light, or areas illuminated by them.
Lights is usually neutral in register.
Lights: in British English it is pronounced /laɪts/, and in American English it is pronounced /laɪts/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “the bright lights”
- “lights out”
- “all lights on green”
- “see the light(s)”
- “leading lights”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
LIGHTS = Lamp Is Giving Home The Shine.
Conceptual Metaphor
UNDERSTANDING IS LIGHT ('shed light on'), ATTENTION IS A LIGHT ('in the spotlight'), LIFE IS LIGHT ('lights out'), PERMISSION/PROGRESS IS A GREEN LIGHT.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following uses of 'lights' is CORRECT?