Made something less heavy or less serious; reduced the weight or burden of something.
From 'lighten,' combining 'light' (Old English 'leoht,' meaning 'not heavy') + the suffix '-en' (to make). The word has two meanings: to reduce weight (physical) or to make less gloomy (emotional).
English speakers use this word in two completely different ways—'lightened the load' (physical) versus 'lightened the mood' (emotional)—showing how our language uses the same word to connect body and spirit, weight and sadness.
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