IdiomNature
English
Englishshed light on
Meaning: To help explain something or make it clearer.
Example: “The newly found letters shed light on why the painter left Paris.”
Origin: Light as a symbol of understanding is ancient. "Shed light on" is well established in 19th-century English.
Equivalents in other languages
French: Éclairer la lanterne de quelqu'un Literally: To light someone's lantern
More English idioms
- pull an all-nighter To stay up all night, usually to study or work.
- the gospel truth Something absolutely true.
- laugh one's head off To laugh very loudly and for a long time.
- drunk as a skunk Extremely drunk.
- know someone in the biblical sense To have had sex with someone.
- in one's birthday suit Completely naked.
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Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.
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