- John. 1811–89, British liberal statesman, economist, and advocate of free trade: with Richard Cobden he led the Anti-Corn-Law League (1838–46)
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
Bright /braɪt/ n
bright /braɪt/USA pronunciation
adj., -er, -est, n.
adj.
n.
bright•ness, n. [uncountable]As the sun went down, the brightness of the room gave way to darkness.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026adj.
- giving off or reflecting light:a bright, sunny room.
- (of colors) strong;
clear;
brilliant:bright red. - quick to learn;
intelligent;
smart:a bright student. - (of a remark or an idea) clever, smart, or original:That was a bright idea to line up the recycling bins near the photocopying machines.
- cheerful;
happy;
lively: a bright smile. - favorable;
promising;
showing signs of success: a bright future.
n.
- Automotivebrights, [plural] bright motor vehicle headlights used for driving, esp. under conditions when it is hard to see:Put on your brights in these country lanes.
bright•ness, n. [uncountable]As the sun went down, the brightness of the room gave way to darkness.
bright
(brīt),USA pronunciation adj., -er, -est, n., adv., -er, -est.
adj.
n.
adv.
bright′ish, adj.
bright′ly, adv.
Bright (brīt),USA pronunciation n.
adj.
- radiating or reflecting light;
luminous;
shining:The bright coins shone in the gloom. - filled with light:The room was bright with sunshine.
- vivid or brilliant:a bright red dress; bright passages of prose.
- quick-witted or intelligent:They gave promotions to bright employees.
- clever or witty, as a remark:Bright comments enlivened the conversation.
- animated;
lively;
cheerful:a bright and happy child; a bird's bright song. - characterized by happiness or gladness:All the world seems bright and gay.
- favorable or auspicious:bright prospects for the future.
- radiant or splendid:the bright pageantry of court.
- illustrious or glorious, as an era:the bright days of the Renaissance.
- clear or translucent, as liquid:The bright water trickled through his fingers.
- having a glossy, glazed, or polished finish.
- intensely clear and vibrant in tone or quality;
clear and sharp in sound:a bright singing voice.
n.
- Automotive brights:
- the automobile or truck headlights used for driving at night or under conditions of decreased visibility.
- the brighter level of intensity of these lights, usually deflected upward by switching on a bulb in the headlamp that strikes the lens at a different angle.
- flue-cured, light-hued tobacco.
- Fine Artan artist's paintbrush having short, square-edged bristles.
- [Archaic.]brightness;
splendor.
adv.
- in a bright manner;
brightly.
- *berkto-); akin to Latin flagrāre to blaze (see flagrant), Albanian (i) bardhë white, Sanskrit bhrājate(it) shines
- bef. 1000; Middle English; Old English breht, beorht; cognate with Gothic bairht(s), Old Saxon ber(a)ht, Old High German beraht, Old Norse bjartr; Welsh berth splendid (
bright′ly, adv.
- 1. refulgent, effulgent, lustrous, lucent, beaming, lambent. Bright, brilliant, radiant, shining refer to that which gives forth, is filled with, or reflects light. Bright suggests the general idea:bright flare, stars, mirror.Brilliant implies a strong, unusual, or sparkling brightness, often changeful or varied and too strong to be agreeable:brilliant sunlight.Radiant implies the pouring forth of steady rays of light, esp. as are agreeable to the eyes:a radiant face.Shining implies giving forth or reflecting a strong or steady light:shining eyes. 4. keen, discerning, sharp, sharp-witted, ingenious, clever. 8. promising, encouraging.
- 1. dull, dim.
Bright (brīt),USA pronunciation n.
- Biographical John, 1811–89, British statesman and economist.
- Biographical Richard, 1789–1858, English physician.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
bright /braɪt/ adj
- emitting or reflecting much light; shining
- (of colours) intense or vivid
- full of promise: a bright future
- full of animation; cheerful: a bright face
- informal quick witted or clever: a bright child
- magnificent; glorious
- polished; glistening
- (of a liquid) translucent and clear
- bright and early ⇒ very early in the morning
- brightly: the fire was burning bright
'Bright' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
acerola
- apple green
- arterial
- Bengal light
- blaze
- bleak
- bluejay
- bolide
- bongo
- brighten
- brightness
- Bright's disease
- bullfinch
- burning bush
- Campion
- candle
- cannel coal
- cardinal
- cayenne pepper
- cheerful
- cheetah
- cherry
- cinnabar
- clear
- Cobden
- cone
- coral tree
- crème de menthe
- dazzle
- dazzling
- dead
- declare
- dim
- dirty
- Dufy
- éclair
- electronic flash
- emblazon
- emission spectrum
- enliven
- facula
- Fauve
- finch
- fireball
- fireweed
- flare
- flashbulb
- flashlight
- ablaze
- acute