"set alight" meaning in English

See set alight in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Verb

Forms: sets alight [present, singular, third-person], setting alight [participle, present], set alight [participle, past], set alight [past]
Head templates: {{en-verb|set<,,set> alight}} set alight (third-person singular simple present sets alight, present participle setting alight, simple past and past participle set alight), {{term-label|en|transitive}} (transitive)
  1. To cause (something) to begin to burn. Tags: transitive Translations (to cause to begin to burn): abrandar (Catalan), ανάβω (anávo) (Greek), καίγομαι (kaígomai) (Greek), ανάβομαι (anávomai) (Greek), acendar (Ido), fionn (Irish), accendere (Italian), запали (zapali) (Macedonian), abrandar (Occitan)
    Sense id: en-set_alight-en-verb-T7659Os0 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Catalan translations, Terms with Greek translations, Terms with Ido translations, Terms with Irish translations, Terms with Italian translations, Terms with Macedonian translations, Terms with Occitan translations, Fire Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 72 28 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 71 29 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 71 29 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 74 26 Disambiguation of Terms with Catalan translations: 75 25 Disambiguation of Terms with Greek translations: 81 19 Disambiguation of Terms with Ido translations: 77 23 Disambiguation of Terms with Irish translations: 75 25 Disambiguation of Terms with Italian translations: 71 29 Disambiguation of Terms with Macedonian translations: 73 27 Disambiguation of Terms with Occitan translations: 75 25 Disambiguation of Fire: 69 31 Synonyms: ignite, kindle, alight, conflagrate, fire, fire up, ignite, inflame, kindle, light, light up, set ablaze, set afire, set aflame, set alight, set fire, set on fire, torch Disambiguation of 'to cause to begin to burn': 93 7
  2. (figuratively) To arouse passion in (someone); to excite. Tags: figuratively, transitive
    Sense id: en-set_alight-en-verb-88BEr5eH Synonyms: ignite, inflame, kindle, rouse, animate, awaken, electrify [figuratively], enflame [figuratively], enkindle [figuratively], enthrill, exagitate [obsolete], excite, exhilarate, exsuscitate [obsolete], fillip, fire [figuratively], fire the blood, galvanize [figuratively], gin up, ignite [figuratively], inflame [figuratively], intoxicate [figuratively], kindle [figuratively], quicken, rouse, send [slang], set on fire [figuratively], sharpen [figuratively], stir the blood, suscitate [obsolete], thrill, vitalise, wake, warm the blood, whet [figuratively], wind up, work up, yerk [Scotland, obsolete]

Inflected forms

{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "sets alight",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "setting alight",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "set alight",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "set alight",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "set<,,set> alight"
      },
      "expansion": "set alight (third-person singular simple present sets alight, present participle setting alight, simple past and past participle set alight)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "transitive"
      },
      "expansion": "(transitive)",
      "name": "term-label"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "72 28",
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          "parents": [],
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          "_dis": "81 19",
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          "_dis": "77 23",
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          "_dis": "71 29",
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        },
        {
          "_dis": "69 31",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Fire",
          "orig": "en:Fire",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To cause (something) to begin to burn."
      ],
      "id": "en-set_alight-en-verb-T7659Os0",
      "links": [
        [
          "cause",
          "cause#Verb"
        ],
        [
          "begin",
          "begin"
        ],
        [
          "burn",
          "burn#Verb"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "ignite"
        },
        {
          "word": "kindle"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "alight"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "conflagrate"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "fire"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "fire up"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "ignite"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "inflame"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "kindle"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "light"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "light up"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "set ablaze"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "set afire"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "set aflame"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "set alight"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "set fire"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "set on fire"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "torch"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "93 7",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "to cause to begin to burn",
          "word": "abrandar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 7",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "anávo",
          "sense": "to cause to begin to burn",
          "word": "ανάβω"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 7",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "kaígomai",
          "sense": "to cause to begin to burn",
          "word": "καίγομαι"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 7",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "anávomai",
          "sense": "to cause to begin to burn",
          "word": "ανάβομαι"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 7",
          "code": "io",
          "lang": "Ido",
          "sense": "to cause to begin to burn",
          "word": "acendar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 7",
          "code": "ga",
          "lang": "Irish",
          "sense": "to cause to begin to burn",
          "word": "fionn"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 7",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "to cause to begin to burn",
          "word": "accendere"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 7",
          "code": "mk",
          "lang": "Macedonian",
          "roman": "zapali",
          "sense": "to cause to begin to burn",
          "word": "запали"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 7",
          "code": "oc",
          "lang": "Occitan",
          "sense": "to cause to begin to burn",
          "word": "abrandar"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              196,
              206
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "1860, Nathaniel Hawthorne, “The Burial Chant”, in The Marble Faun: Or, The Romance of Monte Beni. […], volume I, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor and Fields, →OCLC, page 227:",
          "text": "Each chapel had its saintly shrine, hung around with offerings; its picture above the altar, although closely veiled, if by any painter of renown; and its hallowed tapers, burning continually, to set alight the devotion of the worshippers.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To arouse passion in (someone); to excite."
      ],
      "id": "en-set_alight-en-verb-88BEr5eH",
      "links": [
        [
          "arouse",
          "arouse"
        ],
        [
          "passion",
          "passion#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "excite",
          "excite"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figuratively) To arouse passion in (someone); to excite."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "ignite"
        },
        {
          "word": "inflame"
        },
        {
          "word": "kindle"
        },
        {
          "word": "rouse"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "animate"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "awaken"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "electrify"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "enflame"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "enkindle"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "enthrill"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "obsolete"
          ],
          "word": "exagitate"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "excite"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "exhilarate"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "obsolete"
          ],
          "word": "exsuscitate"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "fillip"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "fire"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "fire the blood"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "galvanize"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "gin up"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "ignite"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "inflame"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "intoxicate"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "kindle"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "quicken"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "rouse"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "slang"
          ],
          "word": "send"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "set on fire"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "sharpen"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "stir the blood"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "obsolete"
          ],
          "word": "suscitate"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "thrill"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "vitalise"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "wake"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "warm the blood"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "whet"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "wind up"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "work up"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "Scotland",
            "obsolete"
          ],
          "word": "yerk"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "figuratively",
        "transitive"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "set alight"
}
{
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    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English transitive verbs",
    "English verbs",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Catalan translations",
    "Terms with Greek translations",
    "Terms with Ido translations",
    "Terms with Irish translations",
    "Terms with Italian translations",
    "Terms with Macedonian translations",
    "Terms with Occitan translations",
    "en:Fire"
  ],
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "sets alight",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "setting alight",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "set alight",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
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    },
    {
      "form": "set alight",
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        "past"
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      },
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      "name": "en-verb"
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    {
      "args": {
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        "2": "transitive"
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "To cause (something) to begin to burn."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "cause",
          "cause#Verb"
        ],
        [
          "begin",
          "begin"
        ],
        [
          "burn",
          "burn#Verb"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "ignite"
        },
        {
          "word": "kindle"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "alight"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "conflagrate"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "fire"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "fire up"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "ignite"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "inflame"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "kindle"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "light"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "light up"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "set ablaze"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "set afire"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "set aflame"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "set alight"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "set fire"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "set on fire"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:kindle",
          "word": "torch"
        }
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      "tags": [
        "transitive"
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              206
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          "ref": "1860, Nathaniel Hawthorne, “The Burial Chant”, in The Marble Faun: Or, The Romance of Monte Beni. […], volume I, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor and Fields, →OCLC, page 227:",
          "text": "Each chapel had its saintly shrine, hung around with offerings; its picture above the altar, although closely veiled, if by any painter of renown; and its hallowed tapers, burning continually, to set alight the devotion of the worshippers.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To arouse passion in (someone); to excite."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "arouse",
          "arouse"
        ],
        [
          "passion",
          "passion#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "excite",
          "excite"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figuratively) To arouse passion in (someone); to excite."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "ignite"
        },
        {
          "word": "inflame"
        },
        {
          "word": "kindle"
        },
        {
          "word": "rouse"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "animate"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "awaken"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "electrify"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "enflame"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "enkindle"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "enthrill"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "obsolete"
          ],
          "word": "exagitate"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "excite"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "exhilarate"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "obsolete"
          ],
          "word": "exsuscitate"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "fillip"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "fire"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "fire the blood"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "galvanize"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "gin up"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "ignite"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "inflame"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "intoxicate"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "kindle"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "quicken"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "rouse"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "slang"
          ],
          "word": "send"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "set on fire"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "sharpen"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "stir the blood"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "obsolete"
          ],
          "word": "suscitate"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "thrill"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "vitalise"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "wake"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "warm the blood"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "figuratively"
          ],
          "word": "whet"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "wind up"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "word": "work up"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:thrill",
          "tags": [
            "Scotland",
            "obsolete"
          ],
          "word": "yerk"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "figuratively",
        "transitive"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "to cause to begin to burn",
      "word": "abrandar"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "anávo",
      "sense": "to cause to begin to burn",
      "word": "ανάβω"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "kaígomai",
      "sense": "to cause to begin to burn",
      "word": "καίγομαι"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "anávomai",
      "sense": "to cause to begin to burn",
      "word": "ανάβομαι"
    },
    {
      "code": "io",
      "lang": "Ido",
      "sense": "to cause to begin to burn",
      "word": "acendar"
    },
    {
      "code": "ga",
      "lang": "Irish",
      "sense": "to cause to begin to burn",
      "word": "fionn"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "to cause to begin to burn",
      "word": "accendere"
    },
    {
      "code": "mk",
      "lang": "Macedonian",
      "roman": "zapali",
      "sense": "to cause to begin to burn",
      "word": "запали"
    },
    {
      "code": "oc",
      "lang": "Occitan",
      "sense": "to cause to begin to burn",
      "word": "abrandar"
    }
  ],
  "word": "set alight"
}

Download raw JSONL data for set alight meaning in English (6.1kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-06-05 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-06-01 using wiktextract (5ee713e and f1c2b61). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.