bright
Verb Conjugation Tables & Inflections
Definitions & Usage
Emitting much light; visually dazzling; luminous, lucent, radiant.
Of light: brilliant, intense.
Of an object, surface, etc.: reflecting much light; having a high lustre; gleaming, shiny.
Of a place: not dark; well-lit.
Of climate or weather: not cloudy or gloomy; fair; also, of a period of time, the sky, etc.: characterized by much sunshine and good weather.
Clearly apparent; conspicuous.
Of a colour: not muted or pale; bold, brilliant, vivid.
Of an object, surface, etc.: having vivid colour(s); colourful.
Of a musical instrument, sound, or a voice: clearly audible; clear, resounding, and often high-pitched.
Of a room or other place: having acoustic qualities that tend to cause much echoing or reverberation of sound, particularly at high frequencies.
Of a scent or taste: having an agreeable balance of sweet and sour, often with associations of coolness, freshness, and sometimes aromaticity.
Of a scent or taste: not bland or mild; bold, sharp, strong.
Of a substance: clear, transparent; also, pure, unadulterated; (specifically) of wine: free of suspended particles; not cloudy; fine.
Glorious; illustrious.
In good spirits; happy, optimistic.
Of the face or eyes, or a smile: showing happiness or hopefulness; cheerful, lively.
Of a person: lively, vivacious.
Of a period of history or time: happy, prosperous, successful.
Of an opportunity or outlook: having a reasonable chance of success; favourable, good.
Of conversation, writing, etc.: imaginative or sparkling with wit; clever, witty.
Having a clear, quick intellect; intelligent.
Of the eyes: able to see clearly; of eyesight: keen, sharp.
Manifest to the mind as light is to the eyes; clear, evident, plain.
Of a rhythm or tempo: lively, upbeat.
Of a note: slightly sharp.
(metallurgy) Of a metal object or surface: lacking any protective coating or surface treatment for the prevention of corrosion.
Brightness, glow.
Glory, splendour.
(chiefly in the plural) Something (especially a product intended for sale) that has vivid colours or a lustrous appearance.
A person with a naturalistic worldview with no mystical or supernatural elements.
(painting) An artist's brush used in acrylic and oil painting with a long ferrule and a flat, somewhat tapering bristle head.
(often literary) In a bright manner; brightly, glowingly, luminously, lustrously.
Referring to colour: with bold or vivid colours; brightly, boldly, vividly.
Referring to sight, sound, understanding, etc.: clearly, distinctly; brightly.
(transitive) Often followed by up: to cast light on (someone or something); to brighten, to illuminate.
(transitive, figuratively) Often followed by up: to cause (someone or something) to be bright (in various senses); to brighten; specifically, to make (someone or something) energetic, or happy and optimistic.
(intransitive, also figuratively) Often followed by up: to become bright (in various senses); to brighten.
Notable Literary & Historical Quotes
“Where the bright Seraphim in burning row / Their loud up-lifted Angel trumpets blow; / And the Cherubick hoſt in thouſand quires / Touch their immortal Harps of golden wires, […]”
— 1646 (indicated as 1645), John Milton, “At a Solemn Musick”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], →OCLC, page 22:
“Thee Father firſt they ſung Omnipotent, / […] that brighteſt Seraphim / Approach not, but with both their wings veil thir eyes.”
— 1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 372 and 381–382:
“There were very few people about, and though the sun was bright, and the air clear and fresh, the big, grim-looking waves, that seemed dark themselves because the foam that topped them was like snow, forced themselves in through the narrow mouth of the harbour—like a bullying man going through a crowd.”
— 1897, Bram Stoker, “Cutting from ‘The Dailygraph,’ 8 August (Pasted in Mina Murray’s Journal.)”, in Dracula, New York, N.Y.: Modern Library, →OCLC, chapter VII, page 95: