lichten

• IPA^(key): /ˈlɪx.tən/
• Rhymes: -ɪxtən

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From Middle Dutch lichten, from Old Dutch *līhten, from Proto-West Germanic *lį̄htijan, from Proto-Germanic *linhtijaną.

lichten

1. to raise, to lift up
2. to empty out

• Afrikaans: lig
• → Papiamentu: lektu

From Middle Dutch lichten, from Old Dutch *liehton, from Proto-West Germanic *leuhtōn. By surface analysis, licht +‎ -en.

lichten

1. to illuminate, shine light

   Een lichtend voorbeeld voor de mensheid. ― A shining example for humanity.

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

lichten

1. plural of licht

• IPA^(key): /ˈlɪçtən/

Derived from the adjective licht (“light; bright”) and/or the noun Licht (“light”). Compare Hunsrik leichte.

lichten (weak, third-person singular present lichtet, past tense lichtete, past participle gelichtet, auxiliary haben)

1. (transitive) to thin out; to clear; to make sparse

   Die Soldaten lichteten den Wald, um ihn für schweres Gerät durchgängig zu machen.

   The soldiers thinned out the forest in order to make it passable for heavy equipment.

2. (reflexive) to thin out; to be cleared; to become sparse (usually slowly)

   Die Zuschauerränge lichteten sich.

   The spectator seats were gradually cleared.

3. (reflexive, literary) to become light, bright (usually slowly)

   Der Himmel lichtete sich.

   The sky became light.

4. (reflexive, literary, of facial expression) to become bright; to lose sternness

   Ihr Blick lichtete sich.

   Her look became bright.

Borrowed from Middle Low German lichten, originally “to make light”, derived from licht (“light; not heavy”). After the Low German development -ft- → -cht- (compare Nichte), the verb was merged with, or at least influenced by, unrelated lüchten (“to lift”), from Proto-Germanic *luftijaną, whence also English lift. Compare Dutch lichten.

lichten (weak, third-person singular present lichtet, past tense lichtete, past participle gelichtet, auxiliary haben)

1. (nautical) to weigh (the anchor)

• “lichten” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “lichten” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
• “lichten” in Duden online
• “lichten” in OpenThesaurus.de