the bright lights

the bright lights

Collectively, the alluring and exciting aspects of a city. I want to put this one-horse town in my rear-view and head for the bright lights!
See also: bright, lights
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

the bright lights

the glamour and excitement of a big city.
See also: bright, lights
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

the bright ˈlights

(informal) the big city seen as a centre of entertainment, enjoyment, etc: Many people from other places are still tempted by the bright lights of London.
See also: bright, lights
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • town
  • race
  • one-horse town
  • a one-horse town
  • be hot stuff
  • red-hot mama
  • sweeten
  • sweeten (up) the deal
  • sweeten the deal
  • sweeten the pot
References in classic literature
Why, in my father's house on Essen-Waterside, the fire and the bright lights would show a mile away, and the door open to a beggar's knock!
`On the seventh day again the bright light of the sun....'
No--not till I had seen something of the room with the bright light, outside of which I was now standing.
And feeling the bright light that flooded the whole place and the warm air heated by the crowd, Natasha little by little began to pass into a state of intoxication she had not experienced for a long while.
These particulars struck me, I confess, disagreeably; and as I followed him into the bright light of the consulting room, I kept my hand ready on my weapon.
Safely she passed through to the hills beyond, and here, under the bright light of Mars' two moons, she halted to plan her future action.
From this primitive function has arisen, unquestionably, all the forms and ceremonials of modern church and state, for through all the countless ages, back beyond the uttermost ramparts of a dawning humanity our fierce, hairy forebears danced out the rites of the Dum-Dum to the sound of their earthen drums, beneath the bright light of a tropical moon in the depth of a mighty jungle which stands unchanged today as it stood on that long forgotten night in the dim, unthinkable vistas of the long dead past when our first shaggy ancestor swung from a swaying bough and dropped lightly upon the soft turf of the first meeting place.
Dolly in the meanwhile, whose gay heart and head ran upon other matters, passed out at the garden door, and glancing back now and then (but of course not wondering whether Joe saw her), tripped away by a path across the fields with which she was well acquainted, to discharge her mission at the Warren; and this deponent hath been informed and verily believes, that you might have seen many less pleasant objects than the cherry-coloured mantle and ribbons, as they went fluttering along the green meadows in the bright light of the day, like giddy things as they were.
The child, no longer distracted by the bright light and the smiling women's faces, began to cry and call for "mammy", though always clinging to Marner, who had apparently won her thorough confidence.
The only other object on the table was a small shaded lamp, the bright light of which fell upon the model.
In the bright light of the restaurant, with its vulgar looking-glasses that reflected in an endless series, she looked old and haggard.
A lion, large, and fierce, and courageous, leaped almost to the boma, full in the bright light from the fire.
Summary: Did you spot the bright lights travelling across Dubai skyline tonight?
The Bright Lights project was funded by the Tees Suicide Prevention Taskforce, with the screenplay first performed at the World Suicide Prevention Day in Stockton earlier this year.
The plaintiffs, who live by the seafront, are also bothered by the bright lights on the beach at night," Candounas said.