in the limelight
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Definition of in the limelight
Also, in the spotlight. At the center of public attention or notoriety. For example, John loves being in the limelight, or The reporters made sure the attractive new actress would be in the spotlight. Both terms come from the theater and allude to focusing light on an important person, the first from a lighting device used from about 1840 on, the second from the early 1900s. Also see in the public eye; steal the show.
QUIZ
QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!
Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.
Question 1 of 7
“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.
Words nearby in the limelight
in the interest of, in the interim, in the know, in the lap of luxury, in the least, in the limelight, in the long run, in the loop, in the lurch, in the main, in the making
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.