lightning

¹light·ning

noun \ˈlīt-niŋ\

Definition of LIGHTNING

1

: the flashing of light produced by a discharge of atmospheric electricity; also : the discharge itself

2

: a sudden stroke of fortune

Origin of LIGHTNING

Middle English, from gerund of lightenen to lighten

First Known Use: 13th century

Other Climate/Meteorology Terms

monsoon, occlusion, ozone, rime, squall, zephyr

²lightning

adjective

Definition of LIGHTNING

: having or moving with or as if with the speed and suddenness of lightning <a lightning assault>

Examples of LIGHTNING

1. thoughts moving at lightning speed
2. <he made a lightning dash for the goal>

First Known Use of LIGHTNING

1576

Related to LIGHTNING

Synonyms

blistering, breakneck, breathless, brisk, dizzy, fleet, fleet-footed, flying, galloping, hasty, hot, fast, nippy, quick, rapid, rapid-fire, rattling, snappy, speedy, splitting, swift, whirlwind, zippy

Antonyms

slow

Related Words

expeditious, prompt, ready; accelerated, hastened, hurried, quickened, rushed; breathtaking; energetic, strenuous, strong, vigorous; high-speed; rush; ultrafast, ultrarapid

Near Antonyms

crawling, dallying, dawdling, dillydallying, dragging, laggard, languid, lingering, plodding, poking, poky (or pokey), slowish, sluggish, unhurried; deliberate, leisurely, measured; dilatory, late, tardy; ultraslow

³lightning

intransitive verb

light·ningedlightning

Definition of LIGHTNING

: to discharge a flash of lightning

First Known Use of LIGHTNING

1903

Other Climate/Meteorology Terms

monsoon, occlusion, ozone, rime, squall, zephyr

lightning

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Visible discharge of electricity when part of the atmosphere acquires enough electrical charge to overcome the resistance of the air. During a thunderstorm, lightning flashes can occur within clouds, between clouds, between clouds and air, or from clouds to the ground. Lightning is usually associated with cumulonimbus clouds (thunderclouds) but also occurs in nimbostratus clouds, in snowstorms and dust storms, and sometimes in the dust and gases emitted by a volcano. A typical lightning flash involves a potential difference between cloud and ground of several hundred million volts. Temperatures in the lightning channel are on the order of 30,000 K (50,000 °F). A cloud-to-ground flash comprises at least two strokes: a pale leader stroke that strikes the ground and a highly luminous return stroke. The leader stroke reaches the ground in about 20 milliseconds; the return stroke reaches the cloud in about 70 microseconds. The thunder associated with lightning is caused by rapid heating of air along the length of the lightning channel. The heated air expands at supersonic speeds. The shock wave decays within a metre or two into a sound wave, which, modified by the intervening air and topography, produces a series of rumbles and claps. See also thunderstorm.