BRIGHTEN


Meaning of BRIGHTEN in English

ˈbrīt ə n verb

( brightened ; brightened ; brightening -t( ə )niŋ ; brightens )

Etymology: Middle English brightnen, from bright, adjective

transitive verb

: to make bright or brighter: as

a. : to cause to shine

brighten a tarnished silver mug by polishing

b. : to make illustrious or more illustrious

brighten an already famous name

c. : to give a brighter hue or luster to

the process of cleaning the oil painting brightened the colors considerably

d. : to make more cheerful : enliven

his presence brightened up the party

intransitive verb

: to become bright or brighter: as

a. : to increase in luminousness

as soon as the moon came out the grove brightened so that one could stroll around without a flashlight

b. : to become more lively or cheerful

the party began to brighten after the drinks were passed around

c. : to become more auspicious

business prospects brightened with every year of peace

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.