Gleam

Quick meaning: Gleam is a noun meaning (countable) An appearance of light, especially one which is indistinct or small, or short-lived.

Meaning

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

More Meanings

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

Example Sentences

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

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

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

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.

Word Forms

• gleams
• gleaming
• gleamed
• gleamest
• gleamedst
• gleameth

Synonyms for gleam

Depending on context, synonyms include leam, flicker, glimmer, trace, dazzle, lambency.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include glint, glimmer, glisten, glitter, shine, glow.

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