To be in the limelight is to be the person everyone is looking at — newspapers, television, the crowd. We use it for fame, for a moment of public attention, and sometimes for the hard side of that: you cannot hide.

To be in the limelight待在limelight裡 is to be the person everyone is looking at就是成為大家目光焦點的那個人 newspapers, television, the crowd報紙、電視、人群都在看你 We use it for fame我們用它來講名氣 for a moment of public attention講公眾關注的那一刻 and sometimes for the hard side of that有時候也講這件事難受的一面 you cannot hide就是你無處可躲

Though actually, the first limelight was a real lamp. In old theatres they heated a piece of quicklime — a white powder made by burning limestone — until it glowed fiercely; that bright beam was the limelight, and the actor it fell on was the one to watch. So the lime here is not the green fruit.

Though actually不過其實 the first limelight was a real lamp最早的limelight是一種真的燈 In old theatres they heated a piece of quicklime舊時代的劇院會加熱一塊生石灰 a white powder made by burning limestone一種燒石灰石做出來的白色粉末 until it glowed fiercely一直加熱到它發出強烈的光 that bright beam was the limelight那道強光就是limelight and the actor it fell on was the one to watch光打在誰身上，誰就是大家該看的人 So the lime here is not the green fruit所以這裡的lime不是那種綠色的萊姆

Today the lamp is gone, but the picture stayed. Spotlight is the closer modern word for the lamp; limelight is now mostly the attention. A little more at home in writing and set phrases than in short chat, but people still say it.

Today the lamp is gone現在那種燈已經不存在了 but the picture stayed但畫面留了下來 Spotlight is the closer modern word for the lampspotlight才是現在比較貼近那種燈的字 limelight is now mostly the attentionlimelight現在則主要指那份關注 A little more at home in writing and set phrases在寫作和固定用語裡比較自在 than in short chat比在隨口聊天時更常見 but people still say it但大家還是會這樣說