light
Get down off a horse or vehicle; step down and stay a bit.
Also called alight, light and hitch, light and set.
Updated September 24, 2026
light pronunciation
/LITE/
Meaning
Short for alight. In mountain talk it means dismount or climb down. Light and hitch, light and set, light and come in are old greetings that invite a visitor to get off, tie up, and visit. Folks still say it teasingly even when you arrive in a pickup.
How folks use it
- “Light and hitch a while. Coffee's on.”
- “He lit off the mule and headed for the porch.”
Origin and etymology
From older English alight, to descend from a horse or carriage. Webster (1828) records light with down, off, or from in that sense. The Dictionary of Smoky Mountain English lists light, light and hitch, and light and set as mountain hospitality talk from horseback days.
Frequently asked questions
Does light still mean get off a horse?
That is the root sense. Nowadays you hear it more as a friendly invite to stop and visit, horse or no horse.