lightening

verb

1. (form-of, gerund, participle, present)present participle and gerund of lighten

noun

1. The act or result of making something light or lighter.

   “Bradly did not think of Cora till he picked up her figure ahead of him on the downs, but with that he was aware of a sudden lightening of his spirits, and stepped out faster to overtake her.”

2. The sensation caused by the descent of the uterus into the pelvic cavity before the onset of labour
3. The removal of cargo (especially crude oil) from a vessel in order to reduce its draft
4. (alt-of, alternative, obsolete, proscribed)Alternative form of lightning.