crosslight

plural crosslights

1. uncountableusuallyLight that comes from the side, causing shadows that can obscure objects of view or create strong contrasts.

   Use crosslight on the coat to show the warp and woof, and bring out texture.

   1942, Minicam Photography - Volume 6, Issues 1-6, page 59

   3 more examples

   Each great party has felt itself in honor bound to justify its men and measures by elaborate argument, and so it has resulted that the light of science has been too often a crosslight, obscuring what it sought to illumine.

   1880, John Torrey Morse (Jr.), Henry Cabot Lodge, Robert Percival Porter, The International Review - Volume 8, page 92

   This positioning will create a crosslight that will leave half your subject in shadow.

   1992, Richard Ferncase, Basic Lighting Worktext for Film and Video, →ISBN, page 50

   Such a crosslight emphasizes and defines the forms of trees, buildings, hills and valleys and produces a picture with strong contrasts of darkagainst-light.

   1964 September, Jim Yarnell, “Flying Photographer”, in Flying Magazine, volume 75, number 3, page 75

2. countableusuallyA traffic light intended principally to allow pedestrian or other traffic from a lesser roadway to cross a busier roadway.

   When the crosslight turned green, silence was much less perilous.

   1972, Descant: The Texas Christian University Literary Journal

3. uncountableusuallyentertainmentIllumination directed at the performers or subject matter from opposite sides of the set.

   Again, the crosslight is best designed to angle slightly upstage taking care not to produce shadows on backings.

   1967, Jerry J. Lewis, An Approach to Lighting Design from Modern Dance, page 11

   1 more example

   Quick buffo comedy requires the clarity of the straight play, while sustained romantic anguish flourishes in atmospheric backlights and crosslight.

   2013, Francis Reid, Stage Lighting Handbook, →ISBN, page 154

4. uncountableusuallyLight that results from multiple sources and different directions.

   In building a stable for horses only, where you can have light as you wish, I would say always have crosslight, so that the rays will cross as near where the horse stands as possible.

   1897, The Rural New-Yorker - Volume 56, page 186

5. figurativelyuncountableusuallyMultiple perspectives or points of view.

   There is sometimes an advantage, however, in getting a double light, or a crosslight, on a subject; or, in other words, in letting two men explain the same point.

   1898, The Bee Keepers' Review - Volumes 11-12, page 91

   1 more example

   For my own part, I want to stand in the crosslight, to stand where all we can grasp of the world around us, scientifically, sociologically, culturally, can still be seen and spoken of with wonder and compassion.

   1996, Daniel W. Hardy, David Ford, Dennis L. Stamps, Essentials of Christian community: essays for Daniel W. Hardy, page 51

6. countablefigurativelyusuallyOne of a number of differing points of view.

   In one crosslight all this bears a strong resemblance to Animal Farm, where, though all animals were equal, some were more equal than others.

   1969, J.C. Furnas, The Americans: A Social History of the United States 1587-1914

   1 more example

   The incident of the palm was interesting in throwing an illuminative crosslight on the gentler human side of a man who had generally been rated as without either gentleness or humanity.

   1921, Lewis Ransome Freeman, Hell's Hatches, page 183

present singular third person crosslights · participle present crosslighting · participle past crosslighted · past crosslighted · participle past crosslit · past crosslit

1. transitiveTo illuminate from the side.