headlights

word · lemma: headlight

/ˈhɛdˌɫaɪts/
/hˈɛdlaɪts/

Definition

The lights at the front of a vehicle that help the driver see the road ahead at night or in poor visibility.

Usage & Nuances

Always plural when referring to both front lights ('the headlights'). Collocations: 'turn on/off headlights', 'high beams', 'low beams'. Used literally (cars, trucks, etc.) and sometimes metaphorically (e.g., 'like a deer in the headlights' for someone frozen by surprise or fear).

Example Sentences

My car's headlights are very bright.

basic

Turn on your headlights when it gets dark.

basic

The headlights didn't work, so we stopped the car.

basic

I forgot to turn off my headlights and now the battery is dead.

natural

Her eyes were wide, like a deer caught in the headlights.

natural

The rain was so heavy I could barely see the headlights of the car ahead.

natural