lighthouse
/'laithaus/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A tower or other structure displaying a bright light to warn or guide ships at sea: A "lighthouse" is a tall building, often located on a coast or island, equipped with a powerful lamp and lens system. Its primary function is to emit a distinctive beam of light to serve as a navigational aid, warning mariners of dangerous areas like rocks or shallow water (shoals) and helping them determine their position.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- The old lighthouse has guided sailors safely into the harbor for over a century.
- We could see the beam from the lighthouse sweeping across the dark sea every few seconds.
- The storm damaged the lighthouse on the remote island.
Advanced Usage
- "To be a lighthouse" (figurative): To serve as a guiding principle or a source of hope and direction in difficult times.
- Her unwavering faith was a lighthouse for her family during the crisis.
Variants and Related Words
Lightkeeper / Lighthouse keeper (n): A person responsible for maintaining and operating a lighthouse.
- The last lighthouse keeper retired when the light was automated.
Lighthouse tower (n): Specifically refers to the tower structure of the lighthouse.
Synonyms
- Beacon: A fire or light set up in a high or prominent position as a warning, signal, or celebration. (While a beacon can be any signal light, a lighthouse is a specific type of maritime beacon.)
- Pharos: A literary or historical term for a lighthouse, derived from the famous Lighthouse of Alexandria.
Related Phrases
- Lighthouse beam: The shaft of light emitted by a lighthouse.
- Lighthouse lens: The often large, glass optical system (like a Fresnel lens) used to magnify the light.
Related Idioms
- A beacon of hope: While not using the word "lighthouse," this idiom shares the same figurative concept of providing guidance and hope, much like a lighthouse's beam in darkness.
- The charity became a beacon of hope for the refugees.
Noun
- a tower with a light that gives warning of shoals to passing ships