show of lightning

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "show of lightning" is not commonly used in written English and may not convey a clear meaning.
It could be used in a context where one is describing a display or occurrence of lightning, but it is not a standard expression. Example: "The storm put on a spectacular show of lightning, illuminating the night sky."

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Stunning show of lightning near Bangkok.

The Guardian

Gazing upward periodically through the windshield, the sheriff, who is fifty-one, saw what he describes as the "most spectacular show of lightning I've ever seen".

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Calm Before the Storm © Julie Fletcher (Australia) A phenomenal natural light show of a lightning storm emanating from the underside of ominous storm clouds juxtaposed with the gleaming stars of the Milky Way above them.

Huffington Post

These striking videos -- with their real-time speed slowed down -- show multi-bursts of lightning seeming to crawl down (or up!) and opening out into menacing, claw-like appendages, culminating with huge bursts of electrical, bomb-like images.

Huffington Post

Figure 7c taken from Shindo et al. [47] shows the number of lightning flashes per year over Japan and potentially hints at an increased threat from this source.

Heritage Science

Practical operating experience shows the polarity of lightning current is generally negative, so the lightning stroke mainly occurs on the positive pole line and a standard 2.6/50 μs lightning current is used in the simulation.

Protection and Control of Modern Power Systems

Lastly, Fig. 11c shows composite maps of lightning frequency distributions, wind convergence lines, and regions where ΔEPT exceeds 10 K (highlighted in pink).

Progress in Earth and Planetary Science

The lightning frequency in each grid cell shows the percentage of lightning strokes counted in that cell relative to the total lightning frequency in the whole study area (the total lightning frequency is shown in the bottom-right corner of each map).

Progress in Earth and Planetary Science

The show was a bolt of lightning for Broadway, illuminating the field in the same way that Hair did in 1968 and Hamilton is doing today.

Huffington Post

Accordingly, our study shows that spatiotemporal regulation of lightning fire initiation through harvesting activity results in a systematic accelerated frequency of disturbance that is novel to the mixedwood boreal system, but the area affected by these events amount to local peculiarities rather than broad-scaled regularities.

Forest Ecology and Management

However, more recently, Yoshida et al. (2009) have shown that the number of lightning flashes per second per convective cloud is approximately proportional to the fifth power of the cold-cloud depth (the height from the melting level to the storm height) and this relationship is not regional dependent.

Earth, Planets and Space

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a weather event, consider using more common phrases like "lightning display" or "electrical storm" to ensure clarity and avoid potential misinterpretations.

Common error

While grammatically correct, the phrase "show of lightning" may sound somewhat informal. In academic or professional writing, opt for more precise and widely accepted terms like "lightning discharge" or "electrical storm" for a more authoritative tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "show of lightning" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the object of a verb or the subject of a clause. It describes a visual event or display featuring lightning. Ludwig AI suggests that while grammatically correct, it's not a particularly common expression.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Encyclopedias

0%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "show of lightning" is a noun phrase used to describe a visual display of lightning, often during a storm. While grammatically acceptable, it's a relatively uncommon expression; Ludwig's AI suggests alternatives like "lightning display" or "electrical storm" might be more appropriate in certain contexts. Source analysis shows it appears in both news media and scientific publications. While versatile, it may come across as slightly informal in academic settings. Consider audience and purpose when selecting this phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

lightning display

Replaces "show" with "display", emphasizing the visual presentation of lightning.

lightning spectacle

Substitutes "show" with "spectacle", highlighting the impressive and dramatic nature of the lightning.

electrical storm display

Expands "show of lightning" to include the storm context, focusing on the visual aspect of the entire electrical storm.

lightning exhibition

Replaces "show" with "exhibition", suggesting a formal display of lightning.

storm's lightning performance

Focuses on the storm as the agent presenting a lightning "performance".

atmospheric light show

Broadens the description to include any kind of atmospheric lighting phenomena.

spectacular lightning event

Highlights the event-like nature of a significant lightning display.

remarkable lightning occurrence

Focuses on the notable occurrence of lightning.

impressive electrical discharge

Shifts focus to the scientific description of lightning as an electrical discharge.

powerful display of electrical activity

Describes a powerful display of electrical activity in the atmosphere.

FAQs

What does "show of lightning" mean?

The phrase "show of lightning" refers to a visual display of lightning, often during a thunderstorm. It emphasizes the visual spectacle of the lightning strikes.

What can I say instead of "show of lightning"?

You can use alternatives like "lightning display", "electrical storm", or "lightning spectacle" depending on the context.

Is "show of lightning" a common phrase?

No, "show of lightning" is not a very common phrase. It's more common to say "lightning display" or simply "lightning storm".

How can I use "show of lightning" in a sentence?

You might say, "The storm put on a spectacular "show of lightning" that lit up the entire night sky" or "The hiker witnessed an impressive "show of lightning" over the mountains".