slighten

English

Etymology

From slight +‎ -en. Related to German schlichten (“to smoothen”). More at slight.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /slaɪ.tən/

Verb

slighten (third-person singular simple present slightens, present participle slightening, simple past and past participle slightened)

(transitive, intransitive) To make or become slight; make or become less pronounced, less noticeable, or less obvious.
- 2004, D. L. Larson, Memories Trail, page 459:
  His smile slightened as if he knew they talked of him.
- 2007, Jack Womack, Elvissey:
  With tissue I softened my rouge, slightened my lipstick; studying my redesigns in my green compact's mirror I marveled, seeing yet another strange face.
(transitive) To slight.
- 1920, Arthur Quiller-Couch, On the Art of Reading:
  […] as God forbid that anyone should hint a slightening word of what our sons and brothers are doing just now, and doing for us!
- 1997, Rajendra Kumar Sharma, Sociological Methods and Techniques, page 257:
  They may take ill or feel slightened for not having been approached directly.
- 1603 (first performance), Ben[jamin] Jonson, Seianus His Fall, London: […] G[eorge] Elld, for Thomas Thorpe, published 1605, →OCLC, (please specify the page):
  It is an odious wisdom to blaspheme, / Much more to slighten, or deny their powers
(transitive, regional) To level out, smooth, or flatten.
to slighten the sheets out

References

The Dictionary of the Scots Language

Anagrams

enlights, lightens, slingeth