lightning

== English == === Etymology === From light(e)n +‎ -ing. Doublet of lightening. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈlaɪt.nɪŋ/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈlaɪt.nɪŋ/, [ˈlʌɪ̯ʔ.nɪŋ], [ˈlɐɪ̯ʔ.nɪŋ] Rhymes: -aɪtnɪŋ === Noun === lightning (usually uncountable, plural lightnings) A flash of light produced by short-duration, high-voltage discharge of electricity within a cloud, between clouds, or between a cloud and the earth. A discharge of this kind. (figuratively) Anything that moves very fast. (archaic, slang) Gin. Obsolete form of lightening. ==== Usage notes ==== bolt, flash, strike are some of the words used to count lightning. ==== Coordinate terms ==== thunder (noise), thunderbolt (instance), fulgural (adjective) ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === lightning (not comparable) Extremely fast or sudden; moving (as if) at the speed of lightning. ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== === Verb === lightning (third-person singular simple present lightnings, present participle lightninging, simple past and past participle lightninged) (impersonal, childish or nonstandard, intransitive) To produce lightning. ==== Usage notes ==== The standard, but rare, verb for "produce lightning" is lighten, used only in the impersonal form "it lightens", or as "it’s lightening". ==== Translations ==== === References ===