illuminate with
illuminate (something) with (something)
1. Literally, to use something to light up a particular place or area. Sam wants to illuminate the whole room with candles before he proposes to Jen.
2. By extension, to use something to clarify or explain something else. I think the author really illuminates his view of upper-class life with his scathing description of the ball gowns.
3. To adorn or embellish something, usually a text, with things like colors and designs. The author had illuminated the text with accents in gold leaf.
See also: illuminate
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
illuminate something with something
1. Lit. to light up something with something. The lights illuminated the monument with a bright glow. The monument was illuminated with mercury vapor lamps.
2. Fig. to clarify or elucidate something with explanation. Please try to illuminate this matter with an explanation. Could you illuminate your answer with a little more detail?
3. to decorate a manuscript with pictures or designs, as done in medieval monasteries. The monks spent all their days illuminating manuscripts with pictures. No one has the patience to illuminate books with tiny designs.
See also: illuminate
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
- illuminate (something) with (something)
- flash (something) at (someone or something)
- flash at
- light up
- lit up
- be on top of (something)
- be/get on top of something
- get on top of (something)
- stay on top of
- stay on top of (someone or something)