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Definition of enlighten verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

enlighten

verb
 
/ɪnˈlaɪtn/
 
/ɪnˈlaɪtn/
(formal)
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they enlighten
 
/ɪnˈlaɪtn/
 
/ɪnˈlaɪtn/
he / she / it enlightens
 
/ɪnˈlaɪtnz/
 
/ɪnˈlaɪtnz/
past simple enlightened
 
/ɪnˈlaɪtnd/
 
/ɪnˈlaɪtnd/
past participle enlightened
 
/ɪnˈlaɪtnd/
 
/ɪnˈlaɪtnd/
-ing form enlightening
 
/ɪnˈlaɪtnɪŋ/
 
/ɪnˈlaɪtnɪŋ/
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  1. enlighten somebody to give somebody information so that they understand something better
    • She didn't enlighten him about her background.
    Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘make luminous’; formerly also as inlighten): in early use from Old English inlīhtan ‘to shine’; later from en-, in- (as an intensifier) + lighten ‘become brighter’ or the noun light.
See enlighten in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee enlighten in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
halfway
adverb
 
 
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