lighter

noun

/ˈlaɪtɚ/US/ˈlaɪtə/UK

Etymology

From Middle English lightere, lyghtere, equivalent to light (“to unload, lighten”) + -er. Compare West Frisian lichter (“lighter ship”), Dutch lichter (“lighter ship”), Middle Low German lichter, lüchter, lüchtære (“a small ship that lightens a load, lighter ship”).

inherited from lightere

Definitions

1
A person who lights things.
- a lighter of lamps
2
A device used to light things, especially a reusable handheld device for creating fire to…
A device used to light things, especially a reusable handheld device for creating fire to light cigarettes.
- Cigarette in mouth, he clutched his pockets in search of a lighter.
3
A flat-bottomed boat for carrying heavy loads across short distances (especially for…
A flat-bottomed boat for carrying heavy loads across short distances (especially for canals or for loading or unloading larger boats).
- It is, of course, possible to work only to or from lighters in this way, and such working is not very general in this country, although a certain amount of such overside work is carried on in enclosed docks.
›+ 3 more definitionsshow fewer
1. 4
  To transfer (cargo or passengers) to or from a ship by means of a lighter or other small…
  To transfer (cargo or passengers) to or from a ship by means of a lighter or other small vessel.
  - Beyond the station an extension descends at 1 in 30, the steepest gradient on the line, to Government Wharf, where cargo is lightered to and from ships at anchor in the harbour.
2. To transfer cargo or fuel from (a ship), lightening it to make its draft less or to make…
  To transfer cargo or fuel from (a ship), lightening it to make its draft less or to make it easier to refloat.
3. 6
  comparative form of light
  comparative form of light: more light
  - I prefer a lighter shade of pink.

The neighborhood

neighborcigarette lighter
neighborfirelighter
neighborlamplighter

Derived

candlelighter, cigar lighter, fag lighter, fag-lighter, gaslighter, jet lighter, lighterage, lighter fluid, lighterful, lighterman, lighter screw, lump the lighter, pipe lighter, sandlighter, table lighter, torch lighter

Vish — recursive loop

A definitional loop anchored at lighter. Each word in the ring is defined by the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself. Scroll to it and watch.

A definitional loop anchored at lighter. Each word in the ring appears in the definition of the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself.

10 hops · closes at lighter

curated · pre-corpus. live cycle detection across the full graph is the next major milestone.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA