Enlighten

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: en=light=en

CIDE DICTIONARY

Enlighten, v. t. [Pref. en- + lighten: cf. AS. inlīhtan. Cf. Enlight.].

•  To supply with light; to illuminate; as, the sun enlightens the earth.  [1913 Webster]

  "His lightnings enlightened the world."  [1913 Webster]
•  To make clear to the intellect or conscience; to shed the light of truth and knowledge upon; to furnish with increase of knowledge; to instruct; as, to enlighten the mind or understanding.  [1913 Webster]

  "The conscience enlightened by the Word and Spirit of God."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Enlighten, v.tr.
1 (often foll. by on) instruct or inform (about a subject).
2 (esp. as enlightened adj.) free from prejudice or superstition.
3 rhet. or poet. a shed light on (an object). b give spiritual insight to (a person).

Derivative

enlightener n.

THESAURUS

Enlighten

account for, acculturate, acquaint, advance, advertise, advertise of, advise, allegorize, ameliorate, amend, apprise, awaken, beacon, better, boost, break the spell, brief, brighten, brighten up, bring forward, bring word, broaden the mind, burst the bubble, catechize, civilize, clarify, clear up, coach, communicate, correct, counsel, crack, debunk, decipher, demonstrate, demythologize, direct, disabuse, disappoint, disclose, disenchant, disillude, disillusion, disillusionize, edify, educate, elevate, elucidate, emend, enhance, enrich, euhemerize, exemplify, explain, explain away, explicate, expose, exposit, expound, familiarize, fatten, favor, flood with light, floodlight, forward, foster, give instruction, give lessons in, give notice, give reason for, give the facts, give the meaning, give word, go straight, ground, guide, highlight, illume, illuminate, illumine, illustrate, improve, improve upon, inform, instruct, irradiate, lard, leave word, let down easy, let in on, let know, lift, light, light up, lighten, luminate, make an improvement, make clear, make plain, meliorate, mend, mention to, notify, nurture, open the eyes, overshine, popularize, prick the bubble, promote, put straight, raise, rationalize, reeducate, refine upon, reform, relume, relumine, report, school, send word, serve notice, set right, set straight, sharpen the wits, shed light upon, shine upon, show, show how, show the way, show up, simplify, socialize, solve, speak, spell out, spotlight, straighten out, teach, teach a lesson, teach the rudiments, tell, tell the truth, throw light upon, train, transfigure, transform, tutor, unblindfold, uncharm, undeceive, unfold, unlock, unravel, unspell, upgrade, uplift, verse, wake up

ROGET THESAURUS

Enlighten

Light

VB shine, glow, glitter, glister, glisten, twinkle, gleam, flare, flare up, glare, beam, shimmer, glimmer, flicker, sparkle, scintillate, coruscate, flash, blaze, be bright, reflect light, daze, dazzle, bedazzle, radiate, shoot out beams, fulgurate, clear up, brighten, lighten, enlighten, levin, light, light up, irradiate, shine upon, give out a light, hang out a light, cast light upon, cast light in, throw light upon, throw light in, shed light upon, shed luster upon, illume, illumine, illuminate, relume, strike a light, kindle.

Information

VB tell, inform, inform of, acquaint, acquaint with, impart, impart to, make acquaintance with, apprise, advise, enlighten, awaken, transmit, let fall, mention, express, intimate, represent, communicate, make known, publish, notify, signify, specify, convey the knowledge of, let one know, have one to know, give one to understand, give notice, set before, lay before, put before, point out, put into one's head, put one in possession of, instruct, direct the attention to, announce, annunciate, report, report progress, bringword, send word, leave word, write word, telegraph, telephone, wire, retail, render an account, give an account, state, let slip, blurt out, spill the beans, unburden oneself of, let off one's chest, disclose, show cause, explain, hint, given an inkling of, give a hint, drop a hint, throw out a hint, insinuate, allude to, make allusion to, glance at, tip the wink, suggest, prompt, give the cue, breathe, whisper, whisper in the ear, give a bit of one's mind, tell one plainly, tell once for all, speak volumes, undeceive, unbeguile, set right, correct, open the eyes of, disabuse, disillusion one of, be informed of, know, learn, get scent of, get wind of, gather from, awaken to, open one's eyes to, become alive, become awake to, hear, overhear, understand, come to one's ears, come to one's knowledge, reach one's ears.

Correction

VB correct, set right, set straight, put straight, undeceive, enlighten, show one one's error, point out an error, point out a fallacy, pick out an error, pick out the fallacy, open one's eyes, pick apart an argument, confutation, reasoning.

Teaching

VB teach, instruct, educate, edify, school, tutor, cram, prime, coach, enlighten, inculcate, indoctrinate, inoculate, infuse, instill, infix, ingraft, infiltrate, imbue, impregnate, implant, graft, sow the seeds of, disseminate, given an idea of, put up to, put in the way of, set right, sharpen the wits, enlarge the mind, give new ideas, open the eyes, bring forward, teach the young idea how to shoot, improve, expound, lecture, read a lesson, give a lesson, give a lecture, give a sermon, give a discourse, incept, hold forth, preach, sermonize, moralize, point a moral, train, discipline, bring up, bring up to, form, ground, prepare, qualify, drill, exercise, practice, habituate, familiarize with, nurture, drynurse, breed, rear, take in hand, break, break in, tame, preinstruct, initiate, inure, put to nurse, send to school, direct, guide, direct attention to, impress upon the mind, impress upon the memory, beat into, beat into the head, convince, book, workbook, exercise book, preach to the wise, teach one's grandmother to suck eggs, teach granny to suck eggs, preach to the converted.