lightning
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++light·ning1 /ˈlaɪtnɪŋ/ ●●○ noun [uncountable] 1 DNa powerful flash of light in the sky caused by electricity and usually followed by thunder 闪电 Two farm workers were struck by lightning (=hit by lightning). 两个农民遭闪电击中。 Lightning flashed overhead. 头顶上电光闪闪。 →5 see picture at 见图 fork12 like lightning FAST/QUICKextremely quickly 迅如闪电，闪电般地 Mitch moved like lightning and caught the little girl before she fell. 米奇眼疾手快，一把抓住了小女孩，没有让她摔倒。3. lightning never strikes twice something bad or unpleasant is not likely to happen to the same people or in the same place twice 闪电不在一处打两次；倒霉的事不可能在同一人身上〔同一场所〕重复发生；事不过二n COLLOCATIONSphrasesa flash of lightning/a lightning flash (=a sudden light from lightning)Suddenly there was a flash of lightning and a roll of thunder.A series of lightning flashes crackled overhead.a bolt of lightning/a lightning bolt (=lightning that appears as a long white line)The tree was struck by a lightning bolt.a lightning strike (=an occasion when lightning hits something)A lightning strike sent a surge through the electricity supply system.a lightning stormA lightning storm lit up the night sky.thunder and lightningAfter a few minutes, the thunder and lightning moved further away.verbslightning flashesLightning flashed in the sky, and there was a loud crash of thunder.lightning hits/strikes somethingThe house had been hit by lightning.lightning lights (up) somethingLightning lit up the room briefly.adjectivesforked lightning (=lightning that appears as lines connected to each other)Forked lightning spread across the sky.sheet lightning (=lightning that appears as a sudden flash of brightness covering a large area of sky)Thunder rumbled and sheet lightning flashed ominously among the clouds.
Examples from the Corpus
lightning• There was a great summer storm, with thunder and lightning and heavy rain.• Expect thunder, expect lightning, expect country and blues and rock and expect him to offer the unexpected, too.• Atop a mountain he slew his daughter, then was immediately struck dead by a bolt of lightning.• Another bolt of lightning struck behind him, and Eugene felt the air seared into ozone on either side of him.• When a flash of lightning lit up the sky to the south we decided we'd better go now!• A flash of lightning lit up the whole sky.• The rumbling becomes louder and is interspersed with flashes of lightning as the sky blackens.• Overhead, lightning flickered frequently as the static electricity accumulating in the ash cloud discharged.struck by lightning• So we are 60 times more likely to be struck by lightning than to die from salmonella!• In that moment of truth she wanted to be struck by lightning and reduced to smouldering ashes.• This compares with 8 for air travel, 100 for child bearing and 0.6 for being struck by lightning.• A man struck by lightning was awake and alert Friday, but had no memory of the flash that knocked him unconscious.• A businessman walking to his car was struck by lightning and critically injured as co-workers watched in awe.• Travelling home one night in a violent storm, Polly was struck by lightning and had to be destroyed.• There were torrential rains, rivers burst their banks and flooded standing crops, churches were struck by lightning in heavy thunderstorms.lightning2 adjective [only before noun] FAST/QUICKvery fast, and often without warning 闪电般的，很快的〔往往事先没有警告〕 a lightning attack 闪电式突袭at/with lightning speed (=extremely quickly) 以闪电般的速度Examples from the Corpus
lightning• In his prime, Brown was a lightning quick running back.• Carville saw the campaign as a lightning war.at/with lightning speed• Having fallen in love with each other, the couple are now setting up home together at lightning speed.• Some of these fellas are several screens high, yet they zip around at lightning speed!• The application was, of course, dismissed with lightning speed.• We have acquired a reputation as the dumping ground with lightning speed.• They darted with lightning speed after one another.• They were looking for food, of course, and would suddenly plunge downwards at lightning speed when they spotted something.• Time was, not everyone had access to moving things at lightning speed, with neither brakes nor checks.Origin lightning1 (1300-1400) lighten “to become less dark”light·ning1 noun →n COLLOCATIONS1lightning2 adjectiveLDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable
sky flash powerful light by a Corpus in caused of the
lightning
light‧ning1 /ˈlaɪtnɪŋ/ 
noun [uncountable]
Two farmworkers were struck by lightning (=hit by lightning).
Lightning flashed overhead.
2. like lightning extremely quickly:
Mitch moved like lightning and caught the little girl before she fell.
3. lightning never strikes twice something bad or unpleasant is not likely to happen to the same people or in the same place twice
■ phrases
▪a flash of lightning/a lightning flash (=a sudden light from lightning) Suddenly there was a flash of lightning and a roll of thunder. | A series of lightning flashes crackled overhead.
▪a bolt of lightning/a lightning bolt (=lightning that appears as a long white line) The tree was struck by a lightning bolt.
▪a lightning strike (=an occasion when lightning hits something) A lightning strike sent a surge through the electricity supply system.
▪a lightning storm A lightning storm lit up the night sky.
▪thunder and lightning After a few minutes, the thunder and lightning moved further away.
■ verbs
▪lightning flashes Lightning flashed in the sky, and there was a loud crash of thunder.
▪lightning hits/strikes something The house had been hit by lightning.
▪lightning lights (up) something Lightning lit up the room briefly.
■ adjectives
▪forked lightning (=lightning that appears as lines connected to each other) Forked lightning spread across the sky.
▪sheet lightning (=lightning that appears as a sudden flash of brightness covering a large area of sky) Thunder rumbled and sheet lightning flashed ominously among the clouds.
lightning2 adjective [only before noun]
very fast, and often without warning:
a lightning attack
at/with lightning speed (=extremely quickly)
| I |
noun [uncountable] Date: 1300-1400
Origin: lighten 'to become less dark'
1. a powerful flash of light in the sky caused by electricity and usually followed by thunder:Origin: lighten 'to become less dark'
2. like lightning extremely quickly:
3. lightning never strikes twice something bad or unpleasant is not likely to happen to the same people or in the same place twice
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| II |
adjective [only before noun]very fast, and often without warning:
at/with lightning speed (=extremely quickly)
Good weather 好天气
be bathed in/bask in/be blessed with/enjoy bright/brilliant/glorious sunshine沐浴着／享受着明媚的／灿烂的阳光 the sun shines/warms sth/beats down (on sth) 太阳照耀着／温暖着／照射在… the sunshine breaks/streams through sth 阳光穿过… fluffy/wispy clouds drift across the sky 绒毛般的／一缕缕云彩在空中飘过 a gentle/light/stiff/cool/warm/sea breeze blows in/comes in off the sea 微风／轻风／强风／凉爽的风／暖风／海风从海上吹来 the snow crunches beneath/under sb's feet/boots 积雪在…脚下／靴子下嘎吱作响
Bad weather 坏天气
thick/dark/storm clouds form/gather/roll in/cover the sky/block out the sun 厚厚的云层／乌云／暴风云形成／聚集／大量聚集／遮住天空／挡住太阳 the sky darkens/turns black 天空变暗／变黑 a fine mist hangs in the air 一丝薄雾弥漫在空气中 a dense/heavy/thick fog rolls in 浓雾滚滚而来 the rain falls/comes down (in buckets/sheets)/pours down 下雨了；大雨倾盆而下；大雨滂沱 snow falls/comes down/covers sth 雪花飘落／覆盖着… the wind blows/whistles/howls/picks up/whips through sth/sweeps across sth 风刮／嗖嗖地刮／呼啸而过／愈刮愈大／刮过…／掠过… strong/gale-force winds blow/gust (up to 80 mph) 狂风大作（高达每小时 80 英里的速度） a storm is approaching/is moving inland/hits/strikes/rages 暴风雨即将降临／向内陆移动／来临／袭来／肆虐 thunder rolls/rumbles/sounds 雷声隆隆 (forked/sheet) lightning strikes/hits/flashes （叉状的／片状的）闪电袭来／闪过 a (blinding/snow) blizzard hits/strikes/blows/rages （令人目眩的）暴风雪袭来／大作／肆虐 a tornado touches down/hits/strikes/destroys sth/rips through sth 龙卷风袭击／摧毁…／撕裂… forecast/expect/predict rain/snow/a category-four hurricane预报有雨／雪／四级飓风 ( NAmE pour (down)/ ( BrE pour (down) with rain下瓢泼大雨 get caught in/seek shelter from/escape the rain遇上下雨；寻找避雨处；躲雨 be covered/shrouded in mist/a blanket of fog笼罩在雾霭之中／厚厚的一层雾中 be in for/brave/shelter from a/the storm即将遇到／勇敢面对／躲避暴风雨 hear rolling/distant thunder听到隆隆的／远处的雷声 be battered/buffeted by strong winds遭受强风肆虐；被强风吹得左右摇摆 ( BrE be blowing a gale在刮大风 battle against/brave the elements与恶劣天气搏斗；冒着风雨
The weather improves 天气好转
the sun breaks through the clouds 太阳破云而出 the sky clears/brightens (up)/lightens (up) 天放晴了 the clouds part/clear 乌云散去 the rain stops/lets up/holds off 雨停了／小了／延迟了 the wind dies down 风逐渐平息 the storm passes 暴风雨过去了 the mist/fog lifts/clears 薄雾／雾消散了
