searchlight
Powerful sweeping beam
A searchlight is a powerful lamp with a reflector that projects an intense beam of light in a particular direction.
Searchlights sweep the sky during wartime to spot aircraft, scan prison perimeters, or create spectacle at movie premieres: The searchlight swept across the night sky.
Figuratively, to turn a searchlight on something is to examine it intensely.
Concentrated illumination source
- floodlightBroad outdoor illumination source
- flashlightPortable electric lamp
- torchHandheld burning light source
- headlampForward-facing vehicle light
arc-lamp · halogen · LED · krypton · lantern · lighthouse · beacon · projection
Regular surveillance route
- watchtowerElevated structure for surveillance
- sentryGuard on duty
- guardWatchful defensive attention
- perimeterShape's outer edge length
security · reconnaissance · monitoring · lookout · observation · scanning · tracking · helicopter
Degree of light emitted
- luminosityIntrinsic brightness of source
- radianceGlowing luminous quality
- glowSteady, soft light
- brillianceExceptional intelligence or luster
wattage · penetrating · sweeping · cutting · darkness · nighttime · nocturnal · sky
spotlight
Concentrated illumination source
- floodlightBroad outdoor illumination source
- flashlightPortable electric lamp
- torchHandheld burning light source
headlamp · arc-lamp · halogen · LED · krypton · lantern · lighthouse · beacon · projection · sweep
patrol
Regular surveillance route
- watchtowerElevated structure for surveillance
- sentryGuard on duty
- guardWatchful defensive attention
perimeter · security · reconnaissance · monitoring · lookout · observation · scanning · tracking · helicopter · prison
brightness
Degree of light emitted
- luminosityIntrinsic brightness of source
- radianceGlowing luminous quality
- glowSteady, soft light
brilliance · wattage · penetrating · sweeping · cutting · darkness · nighttime · nocturnal · sky · clouds
beacon
Guiding light source
warning · rescue · maritime · naval · Morse · communication · homing · aircraft · antiaircraft · air-raid
- ship equipmentbilge pump, ballast, capstan, cargo crane, main engine
- tank partsturret, treads, cannon, hull, tracks
- lightsunlight, daylight, shine, rays, moonlight
- light sourcesflashlight, lamp, candle, sunlight, moonlight
- bright lightssunlight, glare, flash, flare, spotlight
- light beamsbeam, ray, shaft, sunbeam, moonbeam
searchlightambient lighting
Soft indirect room illumination
diffuse light · ambient light · floodlight · soft light · scattered light
searchlightdarkness
Total absence of light
camouflage · blackout · shadow · concealment · obscurity