glance

[ glans, glahns ]

/ glæns, glɑns /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR glance ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object), glanced, glanc·ing.

to look quickly or briefly.

to gleam or flash: a silver brooch glancing in the sunlight.

to strike a surface or object obliquely, especially so as to bounce off at an angle (often followed by off): The arrow glanced off his shield.

to allude briefly to a topic or subject in passing (usually followed by at).

verb (used with object), glanced, glanc·ing. Archaic.

to cast a glance or brief look at; catch a glimpse of.

to cast or reflect, as a gleam.

to throw, hit, kick, shoot, etc. (something) so that it glances off a surface or object.

noun

a quick or brief look.

a gleam or flash of light, especially reflected light.

a deflected movement or course; an oblique rebound.

a passing reference or allusion; insinuation.

Digital Technology. information on an electronic screen that can be understood quickly or at a glance: Get news and weather glances on your phone. Tap anywhere on a glance to open the app.

Cricket. a stroke in which the batsman deflects the ball with the bat, as to leg.

Origin of glance

1400–50; late Middle English glancen (v.), nasalized variant (perhaps influenced by obsolete glent; see glint) of Middle English glacen to strike a glancing blow < Old French glacier to slip, slide < Latin glaciāre to freeze. See glacé

SYNONYMS FOR glance

2 glisten, scintillate. See flash.

3 reflect, ricochet.

9 glitter.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR glance ON THESAURUS.COM

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH glance

glance glimpse

Words nearby glance

glamour girl, glamour puss, glamour stock, glamping, glamping , glance, glanceable, glancing, glancing angle, gland, gland of auditory tube

Definition for glance (2 of 2)

glance ²

[ glans, glahns ]

/ glæns, glɑns /

noun

any of various minerals having a luster that indicates a metallic nature.

Origin of glance

First recorded in 1795–1805, glance is from the German word Glanz brightness, luster

Example sentences from the Web for glance

The two major complaints minority communities have against the police seem at first glance paradoxical.

Ground Zero of the NYPD Slowdown |Batya Ungar-Sargon |January 1, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
In Greek mythology, the Gorgon Medusa had the face of a woman and poisonous snakes for hair; her glance could turn men to stone.

Russia’s Freest Website Now Lives in Latvia |Anna Nemtsova |November 29, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
At first glance, it might be tempting to interpret this extravagant level of compensation as a victory for the once-humble intern.

Silicon Valley Interns Make a Service Worker’s Yearly Salary In Three Months |Samantha Allen |November 25, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
It only takes one glance of Alton's Ebola Survival Handbook to recognize the real threat: him.

The Sham, Scaremongering Guide to Ebola |Abby Haglage |November 20, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

He was very sincere and nice, but I saw him glance at the pink moustache across my lip.

I Shot Bin Laden |Elliot Ackerman |November 16, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The mother's mood may be read at a glance: she is showing in one of a thousand tender ways her motherly affection for her child.

The Madonna in Art |Estelle M. Hurll
We glance over the record of the Cecils, for instance, to find that the present Marquis Pg.

James Watt |Andrew Carnegie
He turned to glance at his watch, and to kill the last five minutes of the prescribed time he thought of Evelyn's scruples.

Evelyn Innes |George Moore
A glance at my watch showed me, to my astonishment, that was tea-time.

Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 158, March 17, 1920 |Various
These suggest the idea of their having been ponds at the first glance.

Retrospect of Western Travel, Volume II (of 2) |Harriet Martineau

British Dictionary definitions for glance (1 of 2)

glance ¹

/ (ɡlɑːns) /

verb

(intr) to look hastily or briefly

(intr; foll by over, through, etc) to look over briefly to glance through a report

(intr) to reflect, glint, or gleam the sun glanced on the water

(intr usually foll by off) to depart (from an object struck) at an oblique angle the arrow glanced off the tree

(tr) to strike at an oblique angle the arrow glanced the tree

noun

a hasty or brief look; peep

at a glance from one's first look; immediately

a flash or glint of light; gleam

the act or an instance of an object glancing or glancing off another

a brief allusion or reference

cricket a stroke in which the ball is deflected off the bat to the leg side; glide

Derived forms of glance

glancing, adverb glancingly, adverb

Word Origin for glance

C15: modification of glacen to strike obliquely, from Old French glacier to slide (see glacis); compare Middle English glenten to make a rapid sideways movement, glint

usage for glance

Glance is sometimes wrongly used where glimpse is meant: he caught a glimpse (not glance) of her making her way through the crowd

British Dictionary definitions for glance (2 of 2)

glance ²

/ (ɡlɑːns) /

noun

any mineral having a metallic lustre, esp a simple sulphide copper glance

Word Origin for glance

C19: from German Glanz brightness, lustre

Idioms and Phrases with glance

glance

see at first blush (glance).

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

glance

verb (used without object), glanced, glanc·ing.

verb (used with object), glanced, glanc·ing. Archaic.

noun

Origin of glance

SYNONYMS FOR glance

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH glance

Words nearby glance

Definition for glance (2 of 2)

noun

Origin of glance

Example sentences from the Web for glance

British Dictionary definitions for glance (1 of 2)

verb

noun

Derived forms of glance

Word Origin for glance

usage for glance

British Dictionary definitions for glance (2 of 2)

noun

Word Origin for glance

Idioms and Phrases with glance

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

glance

verb (used without object), glanced, glanc·ing.

verb (used with object), glanced, glanc·ing. Archaic.

noun

Origin of glance

SYNONYMS FOR glance

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH glance

Words nearby glance

Definition for glance (2 of 2)

noun

Origin of glance

Words related to glance

Example sentences from the Web for glance

British Dictionary definitions for glance (1 of 2)

verb

noun

Derived forms of glance

Word Origin for glance

usage for glance

British Dictionary definitions for glance (2 of 2)

noun

Word Origin for glance

Idioms and Phrases with glance