Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A focus of public attention.
  • noun An early type of stage light in which lime was heated to incandescence producing brilliant illumination.
  • noun The brilliant white light so produced.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Same as calcium light (which see, under calcium).

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Theat.) That part of the stage upon which the limelight is cast, usually where the most important action is progressing or where the leading player or players are placed and upon which the attention of the spectators is therefore concentrated.
  • An intense light produced by heating lime. See Calcium light under calcium.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A type of stage lighting once used in theatres and music halls, producing a bright light by the use of incandescent quicklime.
  • noun by extension Attention, notice, a starring or central role, present fame.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a lamp consisting of a flame directed at a cylinder of lime with a lens to concentrate the light; formerly used for stage lighting
  • noun a focus of public attention

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

lime +‎ light

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