Gleam

/ɡliːm/ · noun

Meaning

(countable) An appearance of light, especially one which is indistinct or small, or short-lived..

Definitions by Sense

1. (countable) An appearance of light, especially one which is indistinct or small, or short-lived.
2. An indistinct sign of something; a glimpse or hint.
3. A bright, but intermittent or short-lived, appearance of something.
4. A look of joy or liveliness on one's face.
5. Sometimes as hot gleam: a warm ray of sunlight; also, a period of warm weather, for instance, between showers of rain.
6. Brightness or shininess; radiance, splendour.
7. (transitive) Chiefly in conjunction with an adverb: to cause (light) to shine.
8. To shine, especially in an indistinct or intermittent manner; to glisten, to glitter.

Example Sentences

Is not yon gleame, the ſhuddering morne that flakes, / VVith ſiluer tinctur, the eaſt vierge of heauen?

Sailing between Madagaſcar and Zeyloon (at or Near this place) in a dark night ſuddenly there happened a gleam of light, ſo bright that he could eaſily read by it. Amazed he vvas at this alteration; but at length perceived it vvas occaſioned by a number of Fiſh, vvhoſe glittering ſhells made that artificial light in the night, and gave the Sea a vvhite repercuſſion: […]

VVhat a gloom hangs all around! the dying lamp feebly emits a yellovv gleam, no ſound is heard but of the chiming clock, or the diſtant vvatch-dog.

Ah! then, if mine had been the Painter's hand, / To express what then I saw; and add the gleam, / The light that never was, on sea or land, / The consecration, and the Poet's dream; // I would have planted thee, thou hoary Pile! / Amid a world how different from this!

But a faint and partial gleam of sunshine broke through the aperture, and made yet more cheerless the dreary aspect and gloomy appurtenances of the cell.

And lo! as he looks, on the belfry's height / A glimmer, and then a gleam of light!

And some of the soldiers since declare / That the gleam of his old white hat afar, / Like the crested plume of the brave Navarre, / That day was their oriflamme of war.

The rescue workers preserved a gleam of optimism that the trapped miners might still survive.

Synonyms for gleam

Antonyms for gleam

Related Words

Word Forms

• gleams
• gleaming
• gleamed
• no-table-tags
• glossary
• gleam
• gleamest
• gleamedst
• gleameth
• -

Usage Notes

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