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Blaze vs Alight - What's the difference?

blaze | alight |

In intransitive terms the difference between blaze and alight

is that blaze is to shine like a flame while alight is to come or chance (upon).

In transitive terms the difference between blaze and alight

is that blaze is to mark or cut (a route, especially through vegetation), or figuratively, to set a precedent for the taking-on of a challenge while alight is to set light to; light.

As a noun blaze

is a fire, especially a fast-burning fire producing a lot of flames and light.

As an adjective alight is

lit, on fire, switched on.

blaze

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) blase, from (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • A fire, especially a fast-burning fire producing a lot of flames and light.
  • *
  • *:Long after his cigar burnt bitter, he sat with eyes fixed on the blaze . When the flames at last began to flicker and subside, his lids fluttered, then drooped; but he had lost all reckoning of time when he opened them again to find Miss Erroll in furs and ball-gown kneeling on the hearth and heaping kindling on the coals,.
  • Intense, direct light accompanied with heat.
  • :
  • *(John Milton) (1608-1674)
  • *:O dark, dark, dark, amid the blaze of noon!
  • The white or lighter-coloured markings on a horse's face.
  • :
  • A high-visibility orange colour, typically used in warning signs and hunters' clothing.
  • A bursting out, or active display of any quality; an outburst.
  • *(William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)
  • *:his blaze of wrath
  • *(John Milton) (1608-1674)
  • *:For what is glory but the blaze of fame?
  • A spot made on trees by chipping off a piece of the bark, usually as a surveyor's mark.
  • *Robert Carlton (B. R. Hall, 1798-1863)
  • *:Three blazes' in a perpendicular line on the same tree indicating a legislative road, the single ' blaze a settlement or neighbourhood road.
  • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) blasen, from (etyl) . See above.

    Verb

    (blaz)
  • To be on fire, especially producing a lot of flames and light.
  • To shine like a flame.
  • * (William Wordsworth)
  • And far and wide the icy summit blazed .
  • * , chapter=1
  • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients, chapter=1 , passage=Pretty soon I struck into a sort of path […]. It twisted and turned,
  • To make a thing shine like a flame.
  • To mark or cut (a route, especially through vegetation), or figuratively, to set a precedent for the taking-on of a challenge.
  • (slang) To smoke marijuana.
  • * Most commonly used in the infinitive, simple present, or simple past:
  • ::
  • * Or less commonly, in the present progressive:
  • ::
  • alight

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) alighten, from (etyl) .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make light or less heavy; lighten; alleviate.
  • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) alighten, from (etyl) .

    Verb

  • (with from) To spring down, get down, or descend, as from on horseback or from a carriage; to dismount.
  • Passengers are alighting from the carriage
  • (with on) To descend and settle, lodge, rest, or stop.
  • A flying bird alights on a tree
    Snow alights on a roof .
  • To come or chance (upon).
  • Etymology 3

    From (etyl) alighten, from (etyl) .

    Verb

  • To light; light up; illuminate.
  • To set light to; light.
  • Etymology 4

    From (etyl) alight, from (etyl) *. See above.

    Alternative forms

    *

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Lit, on fire, switched on.
  • The sticks were damp and wouldn't catch alight .
  • (figuratively) Lit; on fire, burning.
  • Her face was alight with happiness.
    Usage notes
    Used only as a predicative.