- on fire
- A cigarette set the dry grass alight.
- A car was overturned and set alight.
- A faulty electric blanket caused the bed to catch alight.
- The fires had to be kept alight each night.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- catch
- remain
- …
- well
- alight with excitement, laughter, pleasure, etc.
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- (formal) (of faces or eyes) showing a feeling of happiness or excitement
- The children’s faces were alight with enthusiasm.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- catch
- remain
- …
- well
- alight with excitement, laughter, pleasure, etc.
Word Originadjective late Middle English: probably from the phrase on a light (= lighted) fire.
Idioms
See alight in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionaryset the world alight (British English)
(also set the world on fire British and North American English)
- (informal) (usually used in negative sentences) to be very successful and admired by other people
- He's never going to set the world alight with his paintings.
Check pronunciation:
alight