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scintillated

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2005 6:19 am
by KatyBr
scin·til·late (sntl-t)
v. scin·til·lat·ed, scin·til·lat·ing, scin·til·lates
v.intr.
1. To throw off sparks; flash.
2. To sparkle or shine. See Synonyms at flash.
3. To be animated and brilliant: dinner conversation that scintillated.
v.tr.
To give off (sparks or flashes).



[Latin scintillre, scintillt-, from scintilla, spark.]



scintil·lant adj.
scintil·lating·ly adv.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Verb 1. scintillate - give off; "the substance scintillated sparks and flashes"
winkle, twinkle, scintillate - emit or reflect light in a flickering manner; "Does a constellation twinkle more brightly than a single star?"
give out, emit, give off - give off, send forth, or discharge; as of light, heat, or radiation, vapor, etc.; "The ozone layer blocks some harmful rays which the sun emits"
2. scintillate - reflect brightly; "Unquarried marble sparkled on the hillside"
coruscate, sparkle
shine, reflect - be bright by reflecting or casting light; "Drive carefully--the wet road reflects"
3. scintillate - emit or reflect light in a flickering manner; "Does a constellation twinkle more brightly than a single star?"
winkle, twinkle
celestial body, heavenly body - natural objects visible in the sky
beam, shine - emit light; be bright, as of the sun or a light; "The sun shone bright that day"; "The fire beamed on their faces"
scintillate - give off; "the substance scintillated sparks and flashes"
I see all these are concerning light, but I wondered, In the following sentance if anyone can understand the concept.

After I.M. Hurt fell, pain scintillated across his back flickering on and off as he walked.

Katy

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2005 8:45 am
by tcward
Pain can often be described using "light" metaphors. I understood immediately what Mr. Hurt was feeling in your quote.

I can't remember who said it, but a long time ago some child was experiencing for the first time that feeling when your foot falls asleep, and said he had stars in his foot!

-Tim

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2005 10:21 am
by Stargzer
From Mother Goose Ph. D.:
Scintillate, Scintillate, Globule Vivific


Scintillate, scintillate, globule vivific!
In vain do I ponder thy nature specific--
Precariously poised in the ether capacious,
Closely resembling a gem carbonaceous;
Scintillate, scintillate, globule vivific,
In vain do I ponder thy nature specific!
Translation

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2005 2:49 pm
by anders
Until now, I had only encountered scintillation -- flashes of light produced in certain materials when absorbing ionizing radiation.

For poetry, I find more beauty in

Twinkle, twinkle, little bat
How I wonder what you're at.