running light

American

noun

any of various lights required to be displayed by a vessel or aircraft operating between sunset and sunrise.

running light British

noun

nautical one of several white, red, or green lights displayed by vessels operating at night

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of running light

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Transit advocates have repeatedly raised concerns about the dangers of running light rail service at street level in Rainier Valley.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 10, 2023

Chris Combs, who works mostly with interactive electronics, concealed a motion-activated running light of a truck behind a split log.

From Washington Post • Jun. 3, 2022

The holiday season is right around the corner, American companies are running light on inventory, and coronavirus outbreaks continue to shut factories around the world.

From New York Times • Aug. 23, 2021

The running light on the stern of each boat was like a slow-moving shooting star, mirroring the meteor shower above.

From New York Times • Aug. 20, 2015

Comfort settled itself in her stomach and a kind of skipping, running light traveled her veins.

From "Jazz" by Toni Morrison

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023