Lexic.us

Definition of Gleam

1. Noun. An appearance of reflected light.

2. Verb. Be shiny, as if wet. "The horizon is gleaming with lights"; "His eyes were glistening"

3. Noun. A flash of light (especially reflected light).

4. Verb. Shine brightly, like a star or a light. "The horizon is gleaming with lights"

5. Verb. Appear briefly. ; "A terrible thought gleamed in her mind"

Definition of Gleam

1. v. i. To disgorge filth, as a hawk.

2. n. A shoot of light; a small stream of light; a beam; a ray; a glimpse.

3. v. t. To shoot, or dart, as rays of light; as, at the dawn, light gleams in the east.

4. v. t. To shoot out (flashes of light, etc.).

Definition of Gleam

1. Noun. a small or indistinct shaft or stream of light. ¹

2. Noun. a glimpse or hint; an indistinct sign of something. ¹

3. Noun. brightness or shininess; splendor. ¹

4. Verb. To shine; to glitter; to glisten. ¹

5. Verb. To be briefly but strongly apparent. ¹

6. Verb. (obsolete falconry) To disgorge filth, as a hawk. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Gleam

1. to shine with a soft radiance [v -ED, -ING, -S]

Medical Definition of Gleam

1. To disgorge filth, as a hawk. Origin: Cf. OE. Glem birdlime, glue, phlegm, and E. Englaimed. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Gleam

glazes glazier glazieries glaziers glaziery glaziest glazily glaziness glazinesses glazing

glazing agent glazings glazy glead gleads gleam (current term) gleamed gleamer gleamers gleamier

gleamiest gleaming gleamingly gleamings gleams gleamy glean gleanable gleaned gleaner

Literary usage of Gleam

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. A Dictionary of Similes by Frank Jenners Wilstach (1916)
"gleam — continued. gleamed like the flocks of cloudlets bright in sunny air at morn. ... gleam like the golden flash of a moon-lit stream. — Miss LANDON. ..."

2. The Living Age by Making of America Project, Eliakim Littell, Robert S. Littell (1868)
"THE wind is shrill on the hills, and the culver Wheels up and down with a windy gleam ; The birch has unloosened her locks or silver, And shaken them down ..."

3. Notes and Queries by Martim de Albuquerque (1865)
"The Bagman only paused long enough to catch sight of the gleam of a barrel, when, spurring his horse, he dashed past that of the traveller, and galloped ..."

4. Walden; Or, Life in the Woods: Or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau (1893)
"Did thy bright gleam mysterious converse hold With our congenial souls ? secrets too bold ? Well, we are safe and strong, for now we sit Beside a hearth ..."

5. The Iliad of Homer by Homer, John Graham Cordery (1871)
"He hath no knowledge in him—not a gleam. 160 For not with thee the blissful Gods are wroth ; And soon the princes and the chiefs of Troy O'er yonder plain ..."

6. The English Poets: Selections with Critical Introductions by Thomas Humphry Ward (1918)
"... A gleam! Ah! You and I love our boy. Such a warrior is he; So splendid of limb, so swift and so joyous, At his lightest word we touch each other and ..."

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