Definitions
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective enlightening so as to encourage intellectual or moral improvement.
- adjective tending to increase knowledge or dissipate ignorance.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb Present participle of
enlighten .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective tending to increase knowledge or dissipate ignorance
- adjective enlightening or uplifting so as to encourage intellectual or moral improvement
Etymologies
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Examples
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This is what I often call "enlightening the choosing faculty" -- bringing the light of consciousness, conscience and higher purpose to bear on the unique and extraordinary capacity within that can define your destiny.
Andrew Z. Cohen: What Is Conscious Evolution? Andrew Z. Cohen 2011
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Also most enlightening, is to see how local champions of "Green" living and public transportation, who advocate and even legislate with every fiber of their being to get vehicles such as large white GMC pickups off the road, live and work in the same manner as they demand of their constituents.
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Robinsons portrayal of these womens influence as civilizing and enlightening is very different from Wollstonecrafts portrayal of the French court in her An Historical and Moral View of the French Revolution (1794), where she described
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If you were more interested in enlightening your readers than getting a head start on the next 5th District campaign you would tell the entire story.
Waldo Jaquith - M’ville: Goode’s got nothin’ to do with it…kind of. 2007
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If the "Children's Houses" were to succeed in enlightening the people on such truths, they would be accomplishing a very lofty hygienic work for the new generations.
The Montessori Method Anne E. Montessori George 1912
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Raymon took pleasure in enlightening that virgin mind which seemed destined to open to receive his principles; but, despite the power he exerted over her untrained, artless mind, his sophisms sometimes encountered resistance from her.
Indiana 1900
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Spirit uses in enlightening the eyes; it brings us to a sight and sense of our sin and misery, and directs us in the way of duty.
Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume III (Job to Song of Solomon) 1721
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An example of academic analysis that I find truly enlightening is Zilia Papp’s article on the various versions of the story “The Great Yokai War”.
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The directorial revelations are almost always enlightening from a writer’s POV.)
Writer Unboxed » Blog Archive » Secrets of the Silver Screen: Authenticity 2006
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I had a long chat today with folks from Yahoo about the ongoing "size matters" tempest, and it was once again enlightening.
Boing Boing 2005
GHibbs commented on the word enlightening
My adjectival use: 'It was an enlightening experience.'
August 22, 2011