'To make light of' definitions:

Definition of 'To make light of'

From: GCIDE

Light \Light\, a. [Compar. Lighter (l[imac]t"[~e]r); superl. Lightest.] [OE. light, liht, AS. l[imac]ht, le['i]ht; akin to D. ligt, G. leicht, OHG. l[imac]hti, Icel. l[=e]ttr, Dan. let, Sw. l[aum]tt, Goth. leihts, and perh. to L. levis (cf. Levity), Gr. 'elachy`s small, Skr. laghu light. [root]125.]
1. Having little, or comparatively little, weight; not tending to be the center of gravity with force; not heavy. [1913 Webster]
These weights did not exert their natural gravity, . . . insomuch that I could not guess which was light or heavy whilst I held them in my hand. --Addison. [1913 Webster]
2. Not burdensome; easy to be lifted, borne, or carried by physical strength; as, a light burden, or load. [1913 Webster]
Ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. --Matt. xi.
29, 30. [1913 Webster]
3. Easy to be endured or performed; not severe; not difficult; as, a light affliction or task. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
Light sufferings give us leisure to complain. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
4. Easy to be digested; not oppressive to the stomach; as, light food; also, containing little nutriment. [1913 Webster]
5. Not heavily armed; armed with light weapons; as, light troops; a troop of light horse. [1913 Webster]
6. Not encumbered; unembarrassed; clear of impediments; hence, active; nimble; swift. [1913 Webster]
Unmarried men are best friends, best masters . . . but not always best subjects, for they are light to run away. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]
7. Not heavily burdened; not deeply laden; not sufficiently ballasted; as, the ship returned light. [1913 Webster]
8. Slight; not important; as, a light error. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
9. Well leavened; not heavy; as, light bread. [1913 Webster]
10. Not copious or heavy; not dense; not inconsiderable; as, a light rain; a light snow; light vapors. [1913 Webster]
11. Not strong or violent; moderate; as, a light wind. [1913 Webster]
12. Not pressing heavily or hard upon; hence, having an easy, graceful manner; delicate; as, a light touch; a light style of execution. [1913 Webster]
13. Easy to admit influence; inconsiderate; easily influenced by trifling considerations; unsteady; unsettled; volatile; as, a light, vain person; a light mind. [1913 Webster]
There is no greater argument of a light and inconsiderate person than profanely to scoff at religion. --Tillotson. [1913 Webster]
14. Indulging in, or inclined to, levity; wanting dignity or solemnity; trifling; gay; frivolous; airy; unsubstantial. [1913 Webster]
Seneca can not be too heavy, nor Plautus too light. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
Specimens of New England humor laboriously light and lamentably mirthful. --Hawthorne. [1913 Webster]
15. Not quite sound or normal; somewhat impaired or deranged; dizzy; giddy. [1913 Webster]
Are his wits safe? Is he not light of brain ? --Shak. [1913 Webster]
16. Easily bestowed; inconsiderately rendered. [1913 Webster]
To a fair semblance doth light faith annex. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]
17. Wanton; unchaste; as, a woman of light character. [1913 Webster]
A light wife doth make a heavy husband. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
18. Not of the legal, standard, or usual weight; clipped; diminished; as, light coin. [1913 Webster]
19. Loose; sandy; easily pulverized; as, a light soil. [1913 Webster]
Light cavalry, Light horse (Mil.), light-armed soldiers mounted on strong and active horses.
Light eater, one who eats but little.
Light infantry, infantry soldiers selected and trained for rapid evolutions.
Light of foot. (a) Having a light step. (b) Fleet.
Light of heart, gay, cheerful.
Light oil (Chem.), the oily product, lighter than water, forming the chief part of the first distillate of coal tar, and consisting largely of benzene and toluene.
Light sails (Naut.), all the sails above the topsails, with, also, the studding sails and flying jib. --Dana.
Light sleeper, one easily wakened.
Light weight, a prize fighter, boxer, wrestler, or jockey, who is below a standard medium weight. Cf. {Feather weight}, under Feather. [Cant]
To make light of, to treat as of little consequence; to slight; to disregard.
To set light by, to undervalue; to slight; to treat as of no importance; to despise. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'To make light of'

From: GCIDE

make \make\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. made (m[=a]d); p. pr. & vb. n. making.] [OE. maken, makien, AS. macian; akin to OS. mak?n, OFries. makia, D. maken, G. machen, OHG. mahh?n to join, fit, prepare, make, Dan. mage. Cf. Match an equal.]
1. To cause to exist; to bring into being; to form; to produce; to frame; to fashion; to create. Hence, in various specific uses or applications: (a) To form of materials; to cause to exist in a certain form; to construct; to fabricate. [1913 Webster]
He . . . fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf. --Ex. xxxii. 4. [1913 Webster] (b) To produce, as something artificial, unnatural, or false; -- often with up; as, to make up a story. [1913 Webster]
And Art, with her contending, doth aspire To excel the natural with made delights. --Spenser. [1913 Webster] (c) To bring about; to bring forward; to be the cause or agent of; to effect, do, perform, or execute; -- often used with a noun to form a phrase equivalent to the simple verb that corresponds to such noun; as, to make complaint, for to complain; to make record of, for to record; to make abode, for to abide, etc. [1913 Webster]
Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. --Judg. xvi. 25. [1913 Webster]
Wealth maketh many friends. --Prov. xix. 4. [1913 Webster]
I will neither plead my age nor sickness in excuse of the faults which I have made. --Dryden. [1913 Webster] (d) To execute with the requisite formalities; as, to make a bill, note, will, deed, etc. (e) To gain, as the result of one's efforts; to get, as profit; to make acquisition of; to have accrue or happen to one; as, to make a large profit; to make an error; to make a loss; to make money. [1913 Webster]
He accuseth Neptune unjustly who makes shipwreck a second time. --Bacon. [1913 Webster] (f) To find, as the result of calculation or computation; to ascertain by enumeration; to find the number or amount of, by reckoning, weighing, measurement, and the like; as, he made the distance of; to travel over; as, the ship makes ten knots an hour; he made the distance in one day. (h) To put in a desired or desirable condition; to cause to thrive. [1913 Webster]
Who makes or ruins with a smile or frown. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
2. To cause to be or become; to put into a given state verb, or adjective; to constitute; as, to make known; to make public; to make fast. [1913 Webster]
Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? --Ex. ii. 14. [1913 Webster]
See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh. --Ex. vii. 1. [1913 Webster]
Note: When used reflexively with an adjective, the reflexive pronoun is often omitted; as, to make merry; to make bold; to make free, etc. [1913 Webster]
3. To cause to appear to be; to constitute subjectively; to esteem, suppose, or represent. [1913 Webster]
He is not that goose and ass that Valla would make him. --Baker. [1913 Webster]
4. To require; to constrain; to compel; to force; to cause; to occasion; -- followed by a noun or pronoun and infinitive. [1913 Webster]
Note: In the active voice the to of the infinitive is usually omitted. [1913 Webster]
I will make them hear my words. --Deut. iv. 10. [1913 Webster]
They should be made to rise at their early hour. --Locke. [1913 Webster]
5. To become; to be, or to be capable of being, changed or fashioned into; to do the part or office of; to furnish the material for; as, he will make a good musician; sweet cider makes sour vinegar; wool makes warm clothing. [1913 Webster]
And old cloak makes a new jerkin. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
6. To compose, as parts, ingredients, or materials; to constitute; to form; to amount to; as, a pound of ham makes a hearty meal. [1913 Webster]
The heaven, the air, the earth, and boundless sea, Make but one temple for the Deity. --Waller. [1913 Webster]
7. To be engaged or concerned in. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
Gomez, what makest thou here, with a whole brotherhood of city bailiffs? --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
8. To reach; to attain; to arrive at or in sight of. "And make the Libyan shores." --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
They that sail in the middle can make no land of either side. --Sir T. Browne. [1913 Webster]
To make a bed, to prepare a bed for being slept on, or to put it in order.
To make a card (Card Playing), to take a trick with it.
To make account. See under Account, n.
To make account of, to esteem; to regard.
To make away. (a) To put out of the way; to kill; to destroy. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
If a child were crooked or deformed in body or mind, they made him away. --Burton. [1913 Webster] (b) To alienate; to transfer; to make over. [Obs.] --Waller.
To make believe, to pretend; to feign; to simulate.
To make bold, to take the liberty; to venture.
To make the cards (Card Playing), to shuffle the pack.
To make choice of, to take by way of preference; to choose.
To make danger, to make experiment. [Obs.] --Beau. & Fl.
To make default (Law), to fail to appear or answer.
To make the doors, to shut the door. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
Make the doors upon a woman's wit, and it will out at the casement. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
To make free with. See under Free, a.
To make good. See under Good.
To make head, to make headway.
To make light of. See under Light, a.
To make little of. (a) To belittle. (b) To accomplish easily.
To make love to. See under Love, n.
To make meat, to cure meat in the open air. [Colloq. Western U. S.]
To make merry, to feast; to be joyful or jovial.
To make much of, to treat with much consideration,, attention, or fondness; to value highly.
To make no bones. See under Bone, n.
To make no difference, to have no weight or influence; to be a matter of indifference.
To make no doubt, to have no doubt.
To make no matter, to have no weight or importance; to make no difference.
To make oath (Law), to swear, as to the truth of something, in a prescribed form of law.
To make of. (a) To understand or think concerning; as, not to know what to make of the news. (b) To pay attention to; to cherish; to esteem; to account. "Makes she no more of me than of a slave." --Dryden.
To make one's law (Old Law), to adduce proof to clear one's self of a charge.
To make out. (a) To find out; to discover; to decipher; as, to make out the meaning of a letter. (b) to gain sight of; to recognize; to discern; to descry; as, as they approached the city, he could make out the tower of the Chrysler Building. (c) To prove; to establish; as, the plaintiff was unable to make out his case. (d) To make complete or exact; as, he was not able to make out the money. (d) to write out; to write down; -- used especially of a bank check or bill; as, he made out a check for the cost of the dinner; the workman made out a bill and handed it to him.
To make over, to transfer the title of; to convey; to alienate; as, he made over his estate in trust or in fee.
To make sail. (Naut.) (a) To increase the quantity of sail already extended. (b) To set sail.
To make shift, to manage by expedients; as, they made shift to do without it. [Colloq.].
To make sternway, to move with the stern foremost; to go or drift backward.
To make strange, to act in an unfriendly manner or as if surprised; to treat as strange; as, to make strange of a request or suggestion.
To make suit to, to endeavor to gain the favor of; to court.
To make sure. See under Sure.
To make up. (a) To collect into a sum or mass; as, to make up the amount of rent; to make up a bundle or package. (b) To reconcile; to compose; as, to make up a difference or quarrel. (c) To supply what is wanting in; to complete; as, a dollar is wanted to make up the stipulated sum. (d) To compose, as from ingredients or parts; to shape, prepare, or fabricate; as, to make up a mass into pills; to make up a story. [1913 Webster]
He was all made up of love and charms! --Addison. [1913 Webster] (e) To compensate; to make good; as, to make up a loss. (f) To adjust, or to arrange for settlement; as, to make up accounts. (g) To dress and paint for a part, as an actor; as, he was well made up.
To make up a face, to distort the face as an expression of pain or derision.
To make up one's mind, to reach a mental determination; to resolve.
To make way, or To make one's way. (a) To make progress; to advance. (b) To open a passage; to clear the way.
To make words, to multiply words. [1913 Webster]

Words containing 'To make light of'

make light of