lightning: [14] Etymologically, lightning is simply something that illuminates, or ‘lightens’, the sky. The word is a contraction of an earlier lightening, a derivative of lighten ‘make light’. The Old English word for ‘lightning’ was lēget, which is related to light. In Middle English it became leit, and later leiting, but in the 14th century lightning took over as the main form. => light
lightning (n.)
late 13c., present participle of lightnen "make bright," extended form of Old English lihting, from leht (see light (n.)). Meaning "cheap, raw whiskey" is attested from 1781, also sometimes "gin." Lightning bug is attested from 1778. Lightning rod from 1790.
雙語例句
1. It was unbelievably dramatic as lightning crackled all round the van.
閃電在貨車周圍炸開時，情景異常壯觀。
來自柯林斯例句
2. Suddenly a bolt of lightning crackled through the sky.
突然一道閃電劃破長空。
來自柯林斯例句
3. There was frequent thunder and lightning, and torrential rain.
雷電交加，大雨傾盆。
來自柯林斯例句
4. This highlights a problem faced by people proposing theories of ball lightning.
這使得球狀閃電理論的提出者所面臨的一個問題凸顯出來。
來自柯林斯例句
5. Pickers are bent double, plucking each flower with lightning speed.