/ɡliːm/, /ɡlim/
OriginFrom Middle English glemen (“to shine; to glance, look”) [and other forms], from glem, gleam (noun) (see etymology 1) + -en (suffix forming the infinitive of verbs). Cognate with German Low German glemen (“to glow, shine”).
- countableAn appearance of light, especially one which is indistinct or small, or short-lived.
“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; b”
“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.”
- countable, figuratively, uncountableAn indistinct sign of something; a glimpse or hint.
“The rescue workers preserved a gleam of optimism that the trapped miners might still survive.”
“On the fifteenth of June a gleam of hope appeared.”
- countable, figuratively, uncountableA bright, but intermittent or short-lived, appearance of something.
- countable, figuratively, uncountableA look of joy or liveliness on one's face.
“[H]is black visage lighted up with a curious, mischievous gleam.”
“Sunny, thank you for that smile upon your face / Sunny, thank you, thank you for the gleam that flows its grace”
- countable, obsoleteSometimes as hot gleam: a warm ray of sunlight; also, a period of warm weather, for instance, between showers of rain.
“The Pepper-trees live in Italie; the ſhrub of Caſia or the Canell likevviſe in the Northerly regions; the Frankincenſe tree alſo hath been knovvne to live in Lydia: but vvhere vvere the hote gleames o”
“[W]e felt a brisk gale coming from off the Coaſt of America, but ſo violently hot, that vve thought it came from ſome burning Mountain on the ſhore, and vvas like the heat from the mouth of an Oven. J”
- obsolete, uncountableBrightness or shininess; radiance, splendour.
“Then vvas the faire Dodonian tree far ſeene, / Vpon ſeauen hills to ſpread his gladſome gleame, / And conquerours bedecked vvith his greene, / Along the bancks of the Auſonian ſtreame: […]”
“In the clear azure gleam the flocks are ſeen, / And floating foreſts paint the vvaves vvith green.”
- transitiveChiefly in conjunction with an adverb: to cause (light) to shine.
“Many a dry drop ſeem'd a vveeping teare, / Shed for the ſlaughtred husband by the vvife. / The red bloud reek'd to ſhevv the Painters ſtrife, / And dying eyes gleem'd forth their aſhie lights, / Like ”
- intransitiveTo shine, especially in an indistinct or intermittent manner; to glisten, to glitter.
“Quick to redeem the Prey their plighted Lords / Advance, the Palace gleams vvith ſhining Svvords.”
“Beneath an oak he laid him down, / That in the blaze gleamed ruddy brown, […]”
“Green as a liquid emerald, or the hue / Of the green grape, in autumn sunshine growing! / Even as thou gleamest this golden summer's day!”
- figuratively, intransitiveTo be strongly but briefly apparent.
“Mr. Crawley spoke these words without hesitation, even with eloquence, standing upright, and with something of a noble anger gleaming over his poor wan face; and, I think that while speaking them, he ”
- intransitive, obsoleteOf a hawk or other bird of prey: to disgorge filth from its crop or gorge.
“Gleam, a term uſed after a hawk hath caſt and gleameth, or throweth up filth from her gorge.”
Formsgleams(plural) · gleams(present, singular, third-person) · gleaming(participle, present) · gleamed(participle, past) · gleamed(past) · gleam(infinitive) · gleam(first-person, present, singular) · gleamed(first-person, past, singular) · gleam(present, second-person, singular) · gleamest(archaic, present, second-person, singular) · gleamed(past, second-person, singular) · gleamedst(archaic, past, second-person, singular) · gleameth(archaic, present, singular, third-person) · gleamed(past, singular, third-person) · gleam(plural, present) · gleamed(past, plural) · gleam(present, subjunctive) · gleamed(past, subjunctive) · gleam(imperative, present) · -(imperative, past)