function highlight(languageName, code, ignoreIllegals, continuation) {
    /** @type {{ code: string, language: string, result?: any }} */
    const context = {
      code,
      language: languageName
    };
    // the plugin can change the desired language or the code to be highlighted
    // just be changing the object it was passed
    fire("before:highlight", context);

    // a before plugin can usurp the result completely by providing it's own
    // in which case we don't even need to call highlight
    const result = context.result ?
      context.result :
      _highlight(context.language, context.code, ignoreIllegals, continuation);

    result.code = context.code;
    // the plugin can change anything in result to suite it
    fire("after:highlight", result);

    return result;
  }
@type {{ code: string, language: string, result?: any }}