Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BRIG'AN-DAGE, n.

Theft; robbery; plunder. – Warburton.

BRIG'AN-DINE, n. [Qu. the origin of this word. In Pers. praghe is a helmet.]

Anciently, a coat of mail. The name has ceased to be used, with the disuse of the thing. It consisted of thin jointed scales of plate, pliant and easy to the body. – Encyc.

BRIG'AN-TINE, n. [Fr. brigantin; Arm. brigantine; It. brigantino; Sp. bergantin; Port. bargantim; D. berkantyn. Qu. from L. aphractum, Gr. αφρακτος, a vessel without a deck, uncovered. It is usually derived from brigand. See Brig.]

BRIGHT, a. [brīte; Sax. beorht, briht, byrht, or bryht, clear, shining, whence beorhtnes, brightness, beorhtian, Goth. bairtiyan, to shine or be clear, or to manifest; Ar. Ch. Heb. Syr. and Eth. ברק, to shine, or more probably, Eth. በረሀ bareah, to shine, as the Eth. participle ብረህት berht or bereht, corresponds exactly with the Saxon. I have not found this word in any other Teutonic or Gothic language, and the original verb is lost in the Saxon. In Saxon, beorhthwile or brihthwile, signifies a moment, the twinkling of an eye. This directs us to the primary sense of the verb, to shine, which is, to shoot, to dart, to glance. That this is the primary sense, we have evidence from the Sax. bryhtm, which is a derivative from bryht, and which signifies a moment, that is, the time of a shoot, or darting; like glance.]

1. Shining; lucid; luminous; splendid; as, a bright sun or star; a bright metal.
2. Clear; transparent; as liquors. – Thomson.
3. Evident; clear; manifest to the mind, as light is to the eyes. The evidence of this truth is bright. – Watts.
4. Resplendent with charms; as, a bright beauty; the brightest fair. – Pope.
5. Illuminated with science; sparkling with wit; as, the brightest of men. – Pope.
6. Illustrious; glorious; as, the brightest period of a kingdom. – Cotton.
7. In popular language, ingenious; possessing an active mind.
8. Promising good or success; as, bright prospects.
9. Sparkling; animated; as, bright eyes.

BRIGHT'BURN-ING, a.

Burning with a bright flame.

BRIGHT'EN, v.i. [brītn.]

1. To grow bright, or more bright; to clear up; as, the sky brightens.
2. To become less dark or gloomy; as, our prospects brighten.

BRIGHT'EN, v.t. [brītn.]

1. To make bright or brighter; to make to shine; to increase luster.
2. To make luminous by light from without, or by dispelling gloom; as, to brighten sorrow or prospects. – Philips.
3. To cheer; to make gay or cheerful. Joy brightens his crest. – Milton.
4. To make illustrious, or more distinguished; as, to brighten a character. – Swift.
5. To make acute or witty. – Johnson.

BRIGHT'EN-ED, pp.

Made bright or more bright.

BRIGHT'EN-ING, ppr.

Making bright or brighter.

BRIGHT'ER, a. [comp.]

More bright.

BRIGHT'EST, a. [superl.]

Most bright.

BRIGHT'EY-ED, a.

Having bright eyes. – Gray.

BRIGHT'HAIR-ED, a.

Having bright hair. – Milton.

BRIGHT'HAR-NESS-ED, a.

Having glittering armor. – Milton.

BRIGHT'-HUED, a.

Having a bright color.

BRIGHT'LY, adv. [brītely.]

Splendidly; with luster.

BRIGHT'NESS, n. [brīteness.]

1. Splendor; luster; glitter. – South.
2. Acuteness, applied to the faculties; sharpness of wit; as the brightness of a man's parts. – Prior.

BRIGHT'SHIN-ING, a.

Shining with splendor. – Spenser.

BRI-GOSE', a. [from brigue.]

Contentious. [Not used.] – Puller.

BRIGUE, n. [breeg; Fr. brigue; Sp. brega; It. briga, strife, disquiet; Ir. breaghean, to debate, to quarrel.]

A cabal; intrigue; faction; contention. [Little used.] – Chaucer. Chesterfield.

BRIGUE, v.i. [breeg.]

To canvass; to solicit. [Little used.] – Hurd.

BRIGU'ING, ppr. [See Brigue.]

Canvassing; soliciting. – Swift.

BRILL'IAN-CY, n. [See Brilliant.]

Splendor; glitter; great brightness.

BRILL'IANT, a. [Fr. brilliant, sparkling, from briller, to shine or sparkle; It. brillante, sparkling; brillo, joy, gladness, also tipsey; Sp. brillar, to glitter; brillador, brilliant; brillo, splendor; Ger. and Dan. brille, a pair of spectacles; hence Eng. beryl and pearl.]

1. Sparkling with luster; glittering; as, a brilliant gem; a brilliant dress.
2. Splendid; shining; as, a brilliant achievement. Washington was more solicitous to avoid fatal mistakes, than to perform brilliant exploits. – Ames.

BRILL'IANT, n.

1. A diamond of the finest cut, formed into angles, so as to refract the light, by which it is rendered more glittering. – Dryden. Encyc.
2. In the manege, a brisk, high spirited horse, with a stately carriage. – Encyc.