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Collocations for light - adj.

1. not dark

VERBS

be | become, get, grow
It was starting to get light. | As soon as it grew light, we got up and dressed.

ADV.

completely, quite
We''ll set out as soon as it''s completely light.
almost
It was almost light outside.
fairly | enough
It was not light enough to see things clearly.
still | beautifully
The whole house was beautifully light and airy.

2. not weighing much

VERBS

be, feel, seem | become

ADV.

exceptionally, extraordinarily, extremely, very | fairly, quite, reasonably, relatively | enough
The tent is light enough for backpacking and touring.
surprisingly

3. not great in amount/degree

VERBS

be

ADV.

very | comparatively, fairly, quite, relatively
The traffic is usually fairly light in the afternoons.

Collocations for light - noun

1. brightness

ADJ.

clear, good | bright, harsh, intense, strong | blinding | full
In full light, you could see Alison was well over forty.
bad, dim, faint, feeble, murky, poor, uncertain, weak | subdued | failing
We could hardly see the ball in the failing light.
gentle, pale, soft, watery | mellow, warm | cold, cool
in the cold light of morning
early | artificial | natural | infrared, ultraviolet
film that is sensitive to ultraviolet light
visible

QUANT.

beam, ray | burst, flash, gleam, glimmer
There was a flash of light followed by an explosion.
patch, pool

VERB + LIGHT

have
Have you got enough light for reading?
generate, produce | cast, emit, give (out), provide, shed
light emitted by a star
be bathed in | be sensitive to

LIGHT + VERB

gleam, glow, shine | come, fall, pour
Light from a tall lamp fell in a pool on the desk.
reflect
The light reflecting off the snow was dazzling.
grow stronger, increase | fade, fail | blind sb, dazzle sb
We were momentarily blinded by the light of the sun.
catch sth
You could see the imperfections in the repair when the light caught it.

LIGHT + NOUN

level | source | beam

PREP.

against the ~
She held up the letter against the light.
by the ~ of
They managed to see where the door was by the light of the moon.
into the ~
Bring it into the light and we''ll have a look at it.
in the ~
The place looked calm in the golden evening light.
~ from
the light from the kitchen window

PHRASES

(at) the speed of light
Nothing can travel faster than the speed of light.
a point of light, a source of light
The lamp was the only source of light in the room.

2. sth that produces light

ADJ.

bright
the bright lights of the city
flashing, twinkling | electric, fluorescent, gas, neon, strip | bedside, ceiling, outside, overhead, wall | street | hazard, security, warning
The car was stopped at the side of the road with its hazard lights flashing. | A warning light goes on when the battery is running low.
landing
The pilot could just make out the runway landing lights.

VERB + LIGHT

put on, switch on, turn on | have on
Some cars already had their lights on.
leave on | extinguish, put off/out, switch off, turn off/out | turn up | dim, turn down | shine
Someone shone a light in my face.
flash
He flashed his lights to warn the oncoming cars.

LIGHT + VERB

be off/on | come on
The warning light came on.
go out | fuse | gleam, glimmer, glow, shine | flash
The blue light was flashing.
flicker
The light flickered a couple of times then went out.
blind sb, dazzle sb

LIGHT + NOUN

Collocations for light - verb

1. make sth begin to burn

VERB + LIGHT

attempt to, try to | pause to, stop to
She paused to light another cigarette.

2. (often ‘be lit’) give light to sth

ADV.

well
a brightly lit room
badly, dimly, poorly
a dimly lit street
brightly, brilliantly | softly | briefly, momentarily
(figurative) A gleam of humour momentarily lit his face.
suddenly | artificially, electrically | up
There was an explosion and the whole sky lit up.

PREP.

with
(figurative) Her face lit up with pleasure.

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