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To make light of

Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Light \Light\, a. [Compar. {Lighter} (-[~e]r); superl.
   {Lightest}.] [OE. light, liht, AS. l[=i]ht, le['o]ht; akin to
   D. ligt, G. leicht, OHG. l[=i]hti, Icel. l[=e]ttr, Dan. let,
   Sw. l["a]tt, Goth. leihts, and perh. to L. levis (cf.
   {Levity}), Gr. 'elachy`s small, Skr. laghu light. [root]125.
   ]
   1. Having little, or comparatively little, weight; not
      tending to the center of gravity with force; not heavy.

            These weights did not exert their natural gravity, .
            . . insomuch that I could not guess which was light
            or heavy whilst I held them in my hand. --Addison.

   2. Not burdensome; easy to be lifted, borne, or carried by
      physical strength; as, a light burden, or load.

            Ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is
            easy, and my burden is light.         --Matt. xi.
                                                  29, 30.

   3. Easy to be endured or performed; not severe; not
      difficult; as, a light affliction or task. --Chaucer.

            Light sufferings give us leisure to complain.
                                                  --Dryden.

   4. Easy to be digested; not oppressive to the stomach; as,
      light food; also, containing little nutriment.

   5. Not heavily armed; armed with light weapons; as, light
      troops; a troop of light horse.

   6. Not encumbered; unembarrassed; clear of impediments;
      hence, active; nimble; swift.

            Unmarried men are best friends, best masters . . .
            but not always best subjects, for they are light to
            run away.                             --Bacon.

   7. Not heavily burdened; not deeply laden; not sufficiently
      ballasted; as, the ship returned light.

   8. Slight; not important; as, a light error. --Shak.

   9. Well leavened; not heavy; as, light bread.

   10. Not copious or heavy; not dense; not inconsiderable; as,
       a light rain; a light snow; light vapors.

   11. Not strong or violent; moderate; as, a light wind.

   12. Not pressing heavily or hard upon; hence, having an easy,
       graceful manner; delicate; as, a light touch; a light
       style of execution.

   13. Easy to admit influence; inconsiderate; easily influenced
       by trifling considerations; unsteady; unsettled;
       volatile; as, a light, vain person; a light mind.

             There is no greater argument of a light and
             inconsiderate person than profanely to scoff at
             religion.                            --Tillotson.

   14. Indulging in, or inclined to, levity; wanting dignity or
       solemnity; trifling; gay; frivolous; airy; unsubstantial.

             Seneca can not be too heavy, nor Plautus too light.
                                                  --Shak.

             Specimens of New England humor laboriously light
             and lamentably mirthful.             --Hawthorne.

   15. Not quite sound or normal; somewhat impaired or deranged;
       dizzy; giddy.

             Are his wits safe? Is he not light of brain ?
                                                  --Shak.

   16. Easily bestowed; inconsiderately rendered.

             To a fair semblance doth light faith annex.
                                                  --Spenser.

   17. Wanton; unchaste; as, a woman of light character.

             A light wife doth make a heavy husband. --Shak.

   18. Not of the legal, standard, or usual weight; clipped;
       diminished; as, light coin.

   19. Loose; sandy; easily pulverized; as, a light soil.

   {Light cavalry}, {Light horse} (Mil.), light-armed soldiers
      mounted on strong and active horses.

   {Light eater}, one who eats but little.

   {Light infantry}, infantry soldiers selected and trained for
      rapid evolutions.

   {Light of foot}.
       (a) Having a light step.
       (b) Fleet.

   {Light of heart}, gay, cheerful.

   {Light oil} (Chem.), the oily product, lighter than water,
      forming the chief part of the first distillate of coal
      tar, and consisting largely of benzene and toluene.

   {Light sails} (Naut.), all the sails above the topsails,
      with, also, the studding sails and flying jib. --Dana.

   {Light sleeper}, one easily wakened.

   {Light weight}, a prize fighter, boxer, wrestler, or jockey,
      who is below a standard medium weight. Cf. {Feather
      weight}, under {Feather}. [Cant]

   {To make light of}, to treat as of little consequence; to
      slight; to disregard.

   {To set light by}, to undervalue; to slight; to treat as of
      no importance; to despise.

Make \Make\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Made}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Making}.] [OE. maken, makien, AS. macian; akin to OS. mak?n,
   OFries. makia, D. maken, G. machen, OHG. mahh?n to join, fit,
   prepare, make, Dan. mage. Cf. {Match} an equal.]
   1. To cause to exist; to bring into being; to form; to
      produce; to frame; to fashion; to create. Hence, in
      various specific uses or applications:
      (a) To form of materials; to cause to exist in a certain
          form; to construct; to fabricate.

                He . . . fashioned it with a graving tool, after
                he had made it a molten calf.     --Ex. xxxii.
                                                  4.
      (b) To produce, as something artificial, unnatural, or
          false; -- often with up; as, to make up a story.

                And Art, with her contending, doth aspire To
                excel the natural with made delights. --Spenser.
      (c) To bring about; to bring forward; to be the cause or
          agent of; to effect, do, perform, or execute; -- often
          used with a noun to form a phrase equivalent to the
          simple verb that corresponds to such noun; as, to make
          complaint, for to complain; to make record of, for to
          record; to make abode, for to abide, etc.

                Call for Samson, that he may make us sport.
                                                  --Judg. xvi.
                                                  25.

                Wealth maketh many friends.       --Prov. xix.
                                                  4.

                I will neither plead my age nor sickness in
                excuse of the faults which I have made.
                                                  --Dryden.
      (d) To execute with the requisite formalities; as, to make
          a bill, note, will, deed, etc.
      (e) To gain, as the result of one's efforts; to get, as
          profit; to make acquisition of; to have accrue or
          happen to one; as, to make a large profit; to make an
          error; to make a loss; to make money.

                He accuseth Neptune unjustly who makes shipwreck
                a second time.                    --Bacon.
      (f) To find, as the result of calculation or computation;
          to ascertain by enumeration; to find the number or
          amount of, by reckoning, weighing, measurement, and
          the like; as, he made the distance of; to travel over;
          as, the ship makes ten knots an hour; he made the
          distance in one day.
      (h) To put a desired or desirable condition; to cause to
          thrive.

                Who makes or ruins with a smile or frown.
                                                  --Dryden.

   2. To cause to be or become; to put into a given state verb,
      or adjective; to constitute; as, to make known; to make
      public; to make fast.

            Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? --Ex.
                                                  ii. 14.

            See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh. --Ex. vii.
                                                  1.

   Note: When used reflexively with an adjective, the reflexive
         pronoun is often omitted; as, to make merry; to make
         bold; to make free, etc.

   3. To cause to appear to be; to constitute subjectively; to
      esteem, suppose, or represent.

            He is not that goose and ass that Valla would make
            him.                                  --Baker.

   4. To require; to constrain; to compel; to force; to cause;
      to occasion; -- followed by a noun or pronoun and
      infinitive.

   Note: In the active voice the to of the infinitive is usually
         omitted.

               I will make them hear my words.    --Deut. iv.
                                                  10.

               They should be made to rise at their early hour.
                                                  --Locke.

   5. To become; to be, or to be capable of being, changed or
      fashioned into; to do the part or office of; to furnish
      the material for; as, he will make a good musician; sweet
      cider makes sour vinegar; wool makes warm clothing.

            And old cloak makes a new jerkin.     --Shak.

   6. To compose, as parts, ingredients, or materials; to
      constitute; to form; to amount to.

            The heaven, the air, the earth, and boundless sea,
            Make but one temple for the Deity.    --Waller.

   7. To be engaged or concerned in. [Obs.]

            Gomez, what makest thou here, with a whole
            brotherhood of city bailiffs?         --Dryden.

   8. To reach; to attain; to arrive at or in sight of. ``And
      make the Libyan shores.'' --Dryden.

            They that sail in the middle can make no land of
            either side.                          --Sir T.
                                                  Browne.

   {To make a bed}, to prepare a bed for being slept on, or to
      put it in order.

   {To make a card} (Card Playing), to take a trick with it.

   {To make account}. See under {Account}, n.

   {To make account of}, to esteem; to regard.

   {To make away}.
      (a) To put out of the way; to kill; to destroy. [Obs.]

                If a child were crooked or deformed in body or
                mind, they made him away.         --Burton.
      (b) To alienate; to transfer; to make over. [Obs.]
          --Waller.

   {To make believe}, to pretend; to feign; to simulate.

   {To make bold}, to take the liberty; to venture.

   {To make the cards} (Card Playing), to shuffle the pack.

   {To make choice of}, to take by way of preference; to choose.
      

   {To make danger}, to make experiment. [Obs.] --Beau. & Fl.

   {To make default} (Law), to fail to appear or answer.

   {To make the doors}, to shut the door. [Obs.]

            Make the doors upon a woman's wit, and it will out
            at the casement.                      --Shak.
      

   {To make free with}. See under {Free}, a.

   {To make good}. See under {Good}.

   {To make head}, to make headway.

   {To make light of}. See under {Light}, a.

   {To make little of}.
      (a) To belittle.
      (b) To accomplish easily.

   {To make love to}. See under {Love}, n.

   {To make meat}, to cure meat in the open air. [Colloq.
      Western U. S.]

   {To make merry}, to feast; to be joyful or jovial.

   {To make much of}, to treat with much consideration,,
      attention, or fondness; to value highly.

   {To make no bones}. See under {Bone}, n.

   {To make no difference}, to have no weight or influence; to
      be a matter of indifference.

   {To make no doubt}, to have no doubt.

   {To make no matter}, to have no weight or importance; to make
      no difference.

   {To make oath} (Law), to swear, as to the truth of something,
      in a prescribed form of law.

   {To make of}.
      (a) To understand or think concerning; as, not to know
          what to make of the news.
      (b) To pay attention to; to cherish; to esteem; to
          account. ``Makes she no more of me than of a slave.''
          --Dryden.

   {To make one's law} (Old Law), to adduce proof to clear one's
      self of a charge.

   {To make out}.
      (a) To find out; to discover; to decipher; as, to make out
          the meaning of a letter.
      (b) To prove; to establish; as, the plaintiff was unable
          to make out his case.
      (c) To make complete or exact; as, he was not able to make
          out the money.

   {To make over}, to transfer the title of; to convey; to
      alienate; as, he made over his estate in trust or in fee.
      

   {To make sail}. (Naut.)
      (a) To increase the quantity of sail already extended.
      (b) To set sail.

   {To make shift}, to manage by expedients; as, they made shift
      to do without it. [Colloq.].

   {To make sternway}, to move with the stern foremost; to go or
      drift backward.

   {To make strange}, to act in an unfriendly manner or as if
      surprised; to treat as strange; as, to make strange of a
      request or suggestion.

   {To make suit to}, to endeavor to gain the favor of; to
      court.

   {To make sure}. See under {Sure}.

   {To make up}.
      (a) To collect into a sum or mass; as, to make up the
          amount of rent; to make up a bundle or package.
      (b) To reconcile; to compose; as, to make up a difference
          or quarrel.
      (c) To supply what is wanting in; to complete; as, a
          dollar is wanted to make up the stipulated sum.
      (d) To compose, as from ingredients or parts; to shape,
          prepare, or fabricate; as, to make up a mass into
          pills; to make up a story.

                He was all made up of love and charms!
                                                  --Addison.
      (e) To compensate; to make good; as, to make up a loss.
      (f) To adjust, or to arrange for settlement; as, to make
          up accounts.
      (g) To dress and paint for a part, as an actor; as, he was
          well made up.

   {To make up a face}, to distort the face as an expression of
      pain or derision.

   {To make up one's mind}, to reach a mental determination; to
      resolve.

   {To make water}.
      (a) (Naut.) To leak.
      (b) To urinate.

   {To make way}, or {To make one's way}.
      (a) To make progress; to advance.
      (b) To open a passage; to clear the way.

   {To make words}, to multiply words.
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