very light
B1Neutral to informal. Common in everyday speech and descriptive writing.
Definition
Meaning
An adjective or adjectival phrase describing something with minimal weight or density, or of a pale hue, often used literally or metaphorically.
Can describe something insignificant in seriousness, substance, or consequence; a task requiring little effort; a muted or pastel colour; or a gentle touch or impact.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The meaning is highly context-dependent. 'Very light green' refers to colour. 'A very light suitcase' refers to weight. 'Very light reading' refers to substance/difficulty. The phrase often implies a degree below the standard 'light'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Potential for minor spelling variations in accompanying words (e.g., colour/color).
Connotations
Similar in both varieties. Can imply positive ease ('a very light workload') or negative insubstantiality ('very light on details').
Frequency
Equally common in both BrE and AmE.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[be] very light[feel] very light[become] very light[keep sth] very lightVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Travel light (extended: 'travel very light')”
- “Make light of something”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"Let's keep the agenda very light this week to focus on the quarterly report."
Academic
"The manuscript is very light on empirical evidence, relying chiefly on theoretical models."
Everyday
"Can you grab the very light blue suitcase? The dark one is too heavy."
Technical
"The alloy produced a very light yet durable frame for the prototype."
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The helicopter will very light land on the pad.
- He began to very light tap the keys.
American English
- The drone can very light touch down on uneven terrain.
- She started to very light brush the surface.
adverb
British English
- She treaded very light across the creaky floorboards.
- Sleep very light when you're in a new place.
American English
- He landed very light on his feet after the jump.
- The rain fell very light on the roof.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The bag is very light. I can carry it.
- Her room is painted a very light yellow.
- After dinner, we had a very light dessert of fresh fruit.
- The traffic was very light this morning, so I arrived early.
- The report was criticised for being very light on practical recommendations.
- A very light drizzle began to fall as we started our walk.
- The film treats its profound subject matter with a very light, almost whimsical touch.
- His sentencing was remarkably very light considering the severity of the charges.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a VERY feathered LIGHT bulb – it's both extremely lightweight and gives off a pale glow.
Conceptual Metaphor
IMPORTANCE IS WEIGHT / SERIOUSNESS IS DENSITY / EASE IS LACK OF WEIGHT (e.g., 'a very light sentence', 'very light reading').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'очень светлый' for weight; for weight, use 'очень лёгкий'. Confusion between светлый (bright/light in colour) and лёгкий (light in weight).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'very' with stronger intensifiers incorrectly (e.g., 'very featherlight' is redundant). Using 'light' as a noun in this pattern (e.g., 'a very light' is incomplete).
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'The article was very light on facts,' what does 'very light' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, metaphorically. E.g., 'He's very light-hearted' means cheerful, not serious. 'Very light' alone is less common for character.
It is neutral but can sound slightly informal in very academic or technical writing where 'extremely low-density' or 'minimal' might be preferred.
'Very light' is a stronger intensification. A 'light rain' might require an umbrella; a 'very light rain' might just be a mist you can ignore.
It precedes the colour adjective. E.g., 'very light blue', 'a very light shade of green'. It means pale or pastel.