light up
light up — phrasal verb
- light upbase form
- lights up3rd person singular
- lighting up-ing form
- lit uppast simple
- lighted uppast participle
1. to put light onto an object or area so that people can see it clearly — for exam
to put light onto an object or area so that people can see it clearly — for example, using lamps, candles, or fireworks to make a street or the sky bright.
The city lights up the main square with colourful lamps during the winter festival.
Faisal lit the garden path up with small solar lamps for the evening party.
light + noun phrase + up
Brilliant fireworks lit up the night sky over the harbour on New Year's Eve.
Nora lit up the dark hallway with a single candle after the power went out.
- illuminate
more formal; used for technical or poetic contexts
- brighten
also about making brighter, but not limited to producing light
- light
the simple verb; 'light up' adds emphasis on making something fully visible
- darken
to make or become darker
文法句型
light + up + noun phrase
light + noun phrase + up
用法筆記
Commonly used with a direct object that describes the illuminated space — e.g. room, street, sky, building. The object can come between 'light' and 'up' (light the room up) or after 'up' (light up the room).
常見錯誤
2. to become brighter in colour or light, or to cause a space to become brighter —
to become brighter in colour or light, or to cause a space to become brighter — often used for the sky at sunrise, or for a room when the sun comes in.
The sky began to light up as the sun rose above the mountains.
Linh opened the curtains and the morning sunlight lit up the whole kitchen.
transitive: light up + direct object
When the storm passed, the valley lit up in shades of green and gold.
Takeshi painted the walls white so the room would light up more during the day.
The afternoon sun lit up the stained-glass window, casting colours across the floor.
- darken
to become darker; lose light or colour
文法句型
light up (intransitive)
light + up + noun phrase (transitive)
用法筆記
Frequently intransitive (the sky lights up). When transitive, the subject is usually a natural light source (sun, sunrise) or a colour choice (paint, fabric). Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 involves an artificial light source turned on deliberately; sense 2 focuses on a natural or passive brightening.
常見錯誤
3. if a person's face or eyes suddenly show strong positive emotion such as joy, ex
if a person's face or eyes suddenly show strong positive emotion such as joy, excitement, or relief when they see or hear something good.
When Aaron saw the birthday cake, his whole face lit up.
Manuela's eyes lit up as she heard her favourite song playing on the radio.
intransitive: somebody's eyes lit up
Grandma's face lit up when little Takeshi showed her the drawing he made.
The good news lit up Imran's face with a smile that lasted all afternoon.
- brighten up
a similar phrasal verb, used in the same contexts
- cheer up
describes mood rather than visible expression; can be voluntary
- darken
said of someone's expression turning serious or angry
文法句型
somebody's face/eyes light up (intransitive)
something lights up somebody's face/eyes (transitive)
用法筆記
Almost always used with face, eyes, or expression as the subject (intransitive) or object (transitive). Cannot be used for emotional reactions that are not visible on the face — e.g. you cannot say 'his heart lit up' to mean he felt happy.
常見錯誤
4. to start smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe by using a match or a lighter to bu
to start smoking a cigarette, cigar, or pipe by using a match or a lighter to burn the tobacco.
Eli stepped outside the café, lit a cigarette up, and watched the rain fall.
light + cigarette + up
After dinner, Karim lit up his favourite pipe on the balcony.
lit up + direct object
The actors used the break between scenes to light up and relax.
Sofie waited outside the station and lit up while she looked for a taxi.
- light a cigarette
the simple verb without 'up'; same meaning, slightly less colloquial
- put out
to extinguish a cigarette, pipe, or cigar
文法句型
light up + a cigarette/pipe
light a cigarette up
light up (intransitive)
用法筆記
Can be used intransitively (he lit up) when the cigarette is obvious from context — often in outdoor smoking areas. This sense is specific to tobacco products and does not extend to candles, lamps, or other items you set alight.