*bright*

a. [ OE. briht, AS. beorht, briht; akin to OS. berht, OHG. beraht, Icel. bjartr, Goth. baírhts. √94. ] 1. Radiating or reflecting light; shedding or having much light; shining; luminous; not dark. [ 1913 Webster ]

The sun was bright o'erhead. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

The earth was dark, but the heavens were bright. Drake. [ 1913 Webster ]

The public places were as bright as at noonday. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Transmitting light; clear; transparent. [ 1913 Webster ]

From the brightest wines
He 'd turn abhorrent. Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Having qualities that render conspicuous or attractive, or that affect the mind as light does the eye; resplendent with charms; as, bright beauty. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bright as an angel new-dropped from the sky. Parnell. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Having a clear, quick intellect; intelligent. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Sparkling with wit; lively; vivacious; shedding cheerfulness and joy around; cheerful; cheery. [ 1913 Webster ]

Be bright and jovial among your guests. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Illustrious; glorious. [ 1913 Webster ]

In the brightest annals of a female reign. Cotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Manifest to the mind, as light is to the eyes; clear; evident; plain. [ 1913 Webster ]

That he may with more ease, with brighter evidence, and with surer success, draw the bearner on. I. Watts. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. Of brilliant color; of lively hue or appearance. [ 1913 Webster ]

Here the bright crocus and blue violet grew. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Bright is used in composition in the sense of brilliant, clear, sunny, etc.; as, bright-eyed, bright-haired, bright-hued. [ 1913 Webster ]

bright side the positive or favorable aspects of a situation. --
to look on the bright side to focus the attention on favorable aspects of a situation; to minimize attention to possible negative or unfavorable factors in a situation. [ PJC ]

Syn. -- Shining; splending; luminous; lustrous; brilliant; resplendent; effulgent; refulgent; radiant; sparkling; glittering; lucid; beamy; clear; transparent; illustrious; witty; clear; vivacious; sunny. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Splendor; brightness. [ Poetic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Dark with excessive bright thy skirts appear. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Brightly. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

I say it is the moon that shines so bright. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } v. t. To be or become overripe, as wheat, barley, or hops. [ Prov. Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ AS. beorhtan. ] To grow bright, or more bright; to become less dark or gloomy; to clear up; to become bright or cheerful. [ 1913 Webster ]

And night shall brighten into day. N. Cotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

And, all his prospects brightening to the last,
His heaven commences ere world be past. Goldsmith. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Brightened p. pr. & vb. n. Brightening. ] [ From Bright, a. ] 1. To make bright or brighter; to make to shine; to increase the luster of; to give a brighter hue to. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To make illustrious, or more distinguished; to add luster or splendor to. [ 1913 Webster ]

The present queen would brighten her character, if she would exert her authority to instill virtues into her people. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To improve or relieve by dispelling gloom or removing that which obscures and darkens; to shed light upon; to make cheerful; as, to brighten one's prospects. [ 1913 Webster ]

An ecstasy, which mothers only feel,
Plays round my heart and brightens all my sorrow. Philips. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To make acute or witty; to enliven. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having glittering armor. [ Poetic ] Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. 1. Brilliantly; splendidly; with luster; as, brightly shining armor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. With lively intelligence; intelligently. [ 1913 Webster ]

Looking brightly into the mother's face. Hawthorne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. beorhines. See Bright. ] 1. The quality or state of being bright; splendor; luster; brilliancy; clearness. [ 1913 Webster ]

A sudden brightness in his face appear. Crabbe. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Acuteness (of the faculties); sharpness 9wit. [ 1913 Webster ]

The brightness of his parts . . . distinguished him. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Splendor; luster; radiance; resplendence; brilliancy; effulgence; glory; clearness. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ From Dr. Bright of London, who first described it. ] (Med.) An affection of the kidneys, usually inflammatory in character, and distinguished by the occurrence of albumin and renal casts in the urine. Several varieties of Bright's disease are now recognized, differing in the part of the kidney involved, and in the intensity and course of the morbid process. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Bright; clear; luminous; brilliant. [ R. ] Marlowe. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To brighten. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]