lighten

verb

1. alleviate or remove (pressure or stress) or make less oppressive

e.g. relieve the pressure and the stress
lighten the burden of caring for her elderly parents

Synonym: relieve

2. become lighter

e.g. The room lightened up

Synonym: lighten up

3. make lighter or brighter

e.g. The paint will brighten the room

Synonym: brightenlighten up

4. become more cheerful

e.g. after a glass of wine, he lightened up a bit

Synonym: lighten upbuoy up

5. reduce the weight on
make lighter

e.g. she lightened the load on the tired donkey

6. make more cheerful

e.g. the conversation lightened me up a bit

Synonym: lighten upbuoy up

1. （使）发亮；（使）变得明亮；（使）变淡
When something lightens or when you lighten it, it becomes less dark in colour.

e.g. The sky began to lighten...
天空开始变亮了。
e.g. Leslie lightens her hair and has now had it cut into a short, feathered style.
莱斯莉将头发染成了浅色，现在又剪了个短蓬头。

2. 使缓和；调剂
If someone lightens a situation, they make it less serious or less boring.

e.g. Anthony felt the need to lighten the atmosphere...
安东尼觉得有必要缓和一下气氛。
e.g. He managed to lighten the generally lifeless debate at times...
他让这场总体很沉闷的辩论时不时迸出了些火花。

3. （使）（态度、心情等）变得轻松（或愉快）
If your attitude or mood lightens, or if someone or something lightens it, they make you feel more cheerful, happy, and relaxed.

e.g. As they approached the outskirts of the city, Ella's mood visibly lightened...
他们快到市郊时，埃拉的情绪明显好转。
e.g. The sun was streaming in through the window, yet it did nothing to lighten his mood.
阳光透过窗户照进来，可是这也不能让他的心情开朗起来。

4. 使变轻
If you lighten something, you make it less heavy.

e.g. It is a good idea to blend it in a food processor as this lightens the mixture...
把它放到食品加工器里搅拌是个好主意，因为这样能够使混合物的分量减轻。
e.g. He pulled the lightened sled with all his strength.
他用尽全力拉减轻了重量的雪橇。

5. 减轻…的负担
If someone or something lightens your burden or your load, they make a bad or difficult situation better for you.

e.g. The minister has persuaded the banks to lighten the burden of the foreign debt...
部长已经说服银行减轻外债负担。
e.g. In sharing this secret you lighten your burden...
和别人分享这个秘密可以减轻自己的负担。

相关词组：lighten up