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   enlighten

   /ɪnˈlʌɪtn/

   verb

   • 1. give (someone) greater knowledge and understanding about a subject or situation: "Christopher had not enlightened Francis as to their relationship" Similar informmake awarenotifytelladviselet knowilluminateopen someone's eyesappriseexplain the situation toexplain the circumstances todescribe the state of affairs tobriefupdategive details togive information tobring up to dateinformal:clue infill input wisetip offput in the picturebring up to speedOpposite keep in the dark
   • ▪ give (someone) spiritual knowledge or insight: "the Holy Spirit enlightened the Apostles" Similar civilizebring civilization tobring culture tosophisticatesocializehumanizeimprovebetteredifyeducateinstructteachtutorindoctrinaterare:acculturateOpposite stultify
   • 2. shed light on (an object): archaic "the sun enlightened some such clouds near him"

   Word Origin Middle English (in the sense ‘make luminous’; formerly also as inlighten): in early use from Old English inlīhtan ‘to shine’; later from en-1, in-2 (as an intensifier) + lighten2 or the noun light1.

   Derivatives

   • 1. enlightener noun

   Scrabble Points: 13

   • E

     1

   • N

     1

   • L

     1

   • I

     1

   • G

     2

   • H

     4

   • T

     1

   • E

     1

   • N

     1

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