glance

1
[ glans, glahns ]
See synonyms for glance on Thesaurus.com
verb (used without object),glanced, glanc·ing.
  1. to look quickly or briefly.

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

  1. 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.

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

verb (used with object),glanced, glanc·ing.Archaic.
  1. to cast a glance or brief look at; catch a glimpse of.

  2. to cast or reflect, as a gleam.

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

noun
  1. a quick or brief look.

  2. a gleam or flash of light, especially reflected light.

  1. a deflected movement or course; an oblique rebound.

  2. 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.

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

  4. Archaic. a passing reference or allusion; insinuation.

Origin of glance

1
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English verb glenchen, glansen, variant (perhaps influenced by obsolete glent “to shine”) of Middle English glacen “to strike a glancing blow,” from Old French glacier “to slip, slide,” from Latin glaciāre “to freeze”; see glacé, glint

synonym study For glance

2. See flash.

Other words for glance

Words that may be confused with glance

Other definitions for glance (2 of 2)

glance2
[ glans, glahns ]

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

Origin of glance

2
First recorded in 1795–1805; from German Glanz “brightness, luster”

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use glance in a sentence

  • Their glances met, she holding him always at arm's length by that grip upon his shoulders, a grip that was firm and nervous.

    St. Martin's Summer | Rafael Sabatini
  • Hilda impetuously turned her head; their glances met for an instant, in suspicion, challenge, animosity.

    Hilda Lessways | Arnold Bennett
  • There was a longing light in his eyes and a look of appeal whenever our glances met.

  • This serves the double purpose of shutting out the glances of the curious and keeping out the cold air.

    Our Little Korean Cousin | H. Lee M. Pike
  • Here are a pair who are untroubled by curious glances; the nearer houses of the village are quite close by.

    Bastien Lepage | Fr. Crastre

British Dictionary definitions for glance (1 of 2)

glance1

/ (ɡlɑːns) /


verb
  1. (intr) to look hastily or briefly

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

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

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

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

noun
  1. a hasty or brief look; peep

  2. at a glance from one's first look; immediately

  1. a flash or glint of light; gleam

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

  3. a brief allusion or reference

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

Origin of glance

1
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

Derived forms of glance

  • glancing, adverb
  • glancingly, adverb

British Dictionary definitions for glance (2 of 2)

glance2

/ (ɡlɑːns) /


noun
  1. any mineral having a metallic lustre, esp a simple sulphide: copper glance

Origin of glance

2
C19: from German Glanz brightness, lustre

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with glance

glance

see at first blush (glance).

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.