crosslight

1. (uncountable) Light that comes from the side, causing shadows that can obscure objects of view or create strong contrasts.Examples: "Each great party has felt itself in honor bound to justify its men and measures by elaborate argument, and so it has resulted that the light of science has been too often a crosslight, obscuring what it sought to illumine."; "Use crosslight on the coat to show the warp and woof, and bring out texture."; "This positioning will create a crosslight that will leave half your subject in shadow."uncountableusually

2. (countable) A traffic light intended principally to allow pedestrian or other traffic from a lesser roadway to cross a busier roadway.Examples: "When the crosslight turned green, silence was much less perilous."countableusually

3. (uncountable, theater) Illumination directed at the performers or subject matter from opposite sides of the set.Examples: "Again, the crosslight is best designed to angle slightly upstage taking care not to produce shadows on backings."; "Quick buffo comedy requires the clarity of the straight play, while sustained romantic anguish flourishes in atmospheric backlights and crosslight."uncountableusually

4. (uncountable) Light that results from multiple sources and different directions.Examples: "In building a stable for horses only, where you can have light as you wish, I would say always have crosslight, so that the rays will cross as near where the horse stands as possible."uncountableusually

5. (uncountable, figurative) Multiple perspectives or points of view.Examples: "There is sometimes an advantage, however, in getting a double light, or a crosslight, on a subject; or, in other words, in letting two men explain the same point."; "For my own part, I want to stand in the crosslight, to stand where all we can grasp of the world around us, scientifically, sociologically, culturally, can still be seen and spoken of with wonder and compassion."figurativelyuncountableusually

6. (countable, figurative) One of a number of differing points of view.Examples: "The incident of the palm was interesting in throwing an illuminative crosslight on the gentler human side of a man who had generally been rated as without either gentleness or humanity."; "In one crosslight all this bears a strong resemblance to Animal Farm, where, though all animals were equal, some were more equal than others."countablefigurativelyusually