1660s, "action of enlightening," from enlighten + -ment. Used only in figurative sense, of spiritual enlightenment, etc. Attested from 1865 as a translation of German Aufklärung, a name for the spirit of independent thought and rationalistic system of 18c. Continental philosophers.
For the philosophes, man was not a sinner, at least not by nature; human nature -- and this argument was subversive, in fact revolutionary, in their day -- is by origin good, or at least neutral. Despite the undeniable power of man's antisocial passions, therefore, the individual may hope for improvement through his own efforts -- through education, participation in politics, activity in behalf of reform, but not through prayer. [Peter Gay, "The Enlightenment"]
实用例句
1. Stella had a moment of enlightenment.
斯特拉豁然开朗。来自柯林斯例句
2. The newspapers provided little enlightenment about the cause of the accident.
报章对事故原因并未解释清楚。来自《权威词典》
3. The socialists saw themselves as true heirs of the Enlightenment.
社会主义者认为自己是启蒙运动的真正继承者.来自《简明英汉词典》
4. I gained a good deal of enlightenment from him.
我从他那里获得许多启发.来自《简明英汉词典》
5. A person with enlightenment knows the value of education.
