Question

Which dictionary definition of alight BEST applies to its use in the underlined sentence?

A) dismount a horse
B) provide with light
C) light someone’s cigar or cigarette for them
D) to encounter or notice something accidentally

Answer 1

Answer: A) dismount a horse

Explanation: In the previous paragraph, it says, "…and, checking my horse, I half resolved to turn back." Therefore, since he's traveling by horseback, when he arrives, he would need to 'alight,' or dismount his horse.

Answer 2

A

Step-by-step explanation:

Alight is most commonly used when referring to dismounting, coming down, or landing. A bird can alight on the branch of a tree or on a powerline, and even a dragon could alight on a rock high in the mountains.

In the case of humans, the verb is probably heard the most in the equestrian world where alighting from a horse is the equivalent of getting of a horse. There is a sense of elegant associated with the word that implies the rider dismounts in a trained and/or aesthetically pleasing way.