ray

/reɪ/
verb
  1. To emit or send out rays of light or energy.
    • The lighthouse rays its beam across the dark sea.
    • Light rays from the lamp across the room.
    • The sun rays down upon the earth every morning.
  2. To spread out from a central point like rays.
    • Cracks rayed from the center of the broken window.
    • The streets ray out from the town square.
    • The roots of the tree ray outward in all directions.
noun
  1. A narrow line of light or other radiation.
    • A ray of sunlight streamed through the window.
    • The laser emits a thin, powerful ray of light.
    • She shielded her eyes from the sun's rays.
  2. A small amount or trace of something positive, such as hope or comfort.
    • The news brought a ray of hope to the worried family.
    • Even in the darkest times, there is a ray of kindness.
    • Her smile was a ray of sunshine on a gloomy day.
  3. A sea fish with a flat body, wide fins, and a long tail, such as a stingray or manta ray.
    • Be careful not to step on a stingray when walking in shallow water.
    • We saw a giant manta ray gliding through the water.
    • The ray buried itself in the sand on the ocean floor.
  4. Any of the lines or parts that spread out from a center, like the petals of a daisy or the arms of a starfish.
    • A starfish has five rays extending from its central disc.
    • The daisy has white rays surrounding a yellow center.
    • The spokes of the wheel are like rays from the hub.
  5. A straight line extending from a point, used in geometry.
    • The teacher drew a ray on the board starting at point A.
    • A ray is different from a line because it has only one endpoint.
    • In geometry, a ray has one endpoint and goes on forever in one direction.
What does "ray" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean