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What is the meaning of "in a white light" in the following sentences,

Long long ago an Emperor lived in China. His name was Ming Ti. And the Emperor had a son. His name was Ming Cho. One day Ming Cho was playing in the garden. There was a big storm. Lightning came down to the garden in a white light.

(Source: Once There Was a Dog by EDWARD W. DOLCH and MARGUERITE P. DOLCH) ?

Does it mean "Lighten came down to the garden. The garden was filled with a white light."?

or does it mean "Lighten came down to the garden. the color of the garden is a white light."?

Does "in" of "in a white light" mean "was filled with" ?

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    It does not mean the garden was filled with white light. I just means that there was a white light, probably a quick flash, as lightning is.
    – wavery
    Commented May 11, 2019 at 7:36
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    Sorry, I am not really sure what you are asking, Yes there was a white light in the garden. It would have lit everything up in the garden in a bright light - that is what lightning does. Can you please clarify what it is you are asking?
    – wavery
    Commented May 11, 2019 at 8:21
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    Wow you are testing my own understanding of English! It could mean the same thing as "Lightning came down to the garden "as" a white light". Frankly I don't understand the concept of lightning "coming" down. Lightning strikes, and then it's done. There is no special meaning of "in" here, other than "in" can give more of a meaning of in you, or inside you possibly. It can imply a more personal feeling than "as" or "with".
    – wavery
    Commented May 11, 2019 at 9:07
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    Most English prepositions have many different possible usages. See entry number 4 in the Oxford dictionary. en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/in (often followed by a noun without a determiner) expressing a state or condition.
    – JavaLatte
    Commented May 11, 2019 at 9:09
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    Yes @JavaLatte it is crazy how many uses "in" has! I never realized.
    – wavery
    Commented May 11, 2019 at 9:23

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Visually, when lightning strikes, it often appears—very briefly—to come down from the sky to the ground. After that, also briefly, it appears as a coruscating solid line. It also looks white.

So, lighting came down to the garden is just a poetic way of saying lightning struck (close to) the garden. In other words, the bolt of lightning descended from the sky to the garden.

In a white light is the colour of the lightning itself that's being described. Although, at the moment of the flash, it will likely also brighten the surrounding area—especially if it's very close to the observer.

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    Poetic is the key word here. The questioner wants an interpretation of "in" that precisely gives the intended meaning, but there isn't one. The meaning simply has to be guessed from lightning and white flash, without help from the preposition.
    – Anonymous
    Commented May 11, 2019 at 23:29
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    I agree @Anonymous. Why so much focus on "in". It could have been "as" or "with". The questioner needs to explain his focus on "in" better or just accept the answers we have given.
    – wavery
    Commented May 12, 2019 at 4:35

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