shed light on

Idioms  

1. Also, throw light on. Clarify or explain, as in I was hoping the professor would shed light on how he arrived at his theory, or Can anyone throw some light on where these plants came from? Originally, from about 1200, these expressions were used literally, in the sense of “illuminate,” but they soon were used figuratively as well.

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Example Sentences

The model could also shed light on what could happen to the flowers as the climate warms.

From Los Angeles Times

After one of the coldest winters in recent memory across much of the United States, new research is shedding light on a serious and often overlooked danger.

From Science Daily

The study also sheds light on how bees detect their audience.

From Science Daily

But Capterio’s data also sheds light on industrial activity, and of late it has attracted interest from the defense sector.

From The Wall Street Journal

"We are counting on the Belgian justice system to do its job and shed light on history," Yema Lumumba, 33, a granddaughter of the late Congolese prime minister, told AFP earlier this year.

From Barron's

Related Words

• analyze
• clear up
• define
• formulate
• interpret
• resolve
• simplify
• spell out