illuminate

1. (transitive) To shine light on something.Examples: "Nero illuminated his gardens with live Christians soaked in tar, and we were now treated to a similar spectacle, probably for the first time since his day, only happily our lamps were not living ones."; "A light that is one foot away from the subject's face will completely illuminate the face, but leave the rest of the body softer and darker."Synonyms: belighttransitive

2. (transitive) To decorate something with lights.transitive

3. (transitive, figurative) To clarify or make something understandable.Examples: "Jan and Maidi, a lesbian couple, do a very funny routine illuminating the simplicity of the alternative fertilization process and even go so far as to recommend the most suitable receptacles for the semen: marinated artichoke heart jars."Synonyms: bring home, clarify, elucidate, explicitize, sort out, straighten outfigurativelytransitive

4. (transitive) To decorate the page of a manuscript book with ornamental designs.Synonyms: illustratetransitive

5. (transitive, figurative) To make spectacular.Examples: "Hodgson's approach may not illuminate proceedings in Poland and Ukraine but early evidence suggests they will be tough to break down."figurativelytransitive

6. (intransitive) To glow; to light up.Examples: "Red diode in button illuminates when camera runs at speed set in five-digit speed selector."; "Say my name / and every color illuminates. / We are shining / […]"Synonyms: gleamintransitive