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"To Light Into"

Posted by TheFallen on March 06, 2003

In Reply to: "To Light Into" posted by S. Ryan on March 06, 2003

: : : Any idea as to the origin of the phrasal verb "to light into"? Thanks in advance for any help.

: : I'll have to research the origin. The meaning is to fight someone -- go at him/her with fists flying.

: : Agreed with ECS and not sure of origin, but of course, "to light out" has a different meaning, as in to leave, head out or depart in a hurry.

I wonder if there's a connection with "to light" in one of its more archaic senses, meaning to affect unexpectedly. It may be that, when you originally "lit into" someone, you were doing something unprovoked and unforeseen.

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