glance

[ glans, glahns ]

/ glæns, glɑns /

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See synonyms for: glance / glanced / glancing 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.

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.

Archaic. a passing reference or allusion; insinuation.

OTHER WORDS FOR glance

2 glisten, scintillate.

3 reflect, ricochet.

9 glitter.

See synonyms for glance on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of glance

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.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH glance

glance , glimpse

Words nearby glance

glamour puss, glamour stock, glamp, glamping, glam rock, glance, glanceable, glancing, glancing angle, gland, glandered

Other definitions for glance (2 of 2)

glance²

[ 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; from German Glanz “brightness, luster”

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use glance in a sentence

This activity card shows users new, relevant listings that have been posted since the user last searched for a particular job, making it easier for jobseekers to tell whether new listings are available at a glance.
Google’s new features for product, job and recipe activity cards usher users along their journey|George Nguyen|August 18, 2020|Search Engine Land
That’s a smart suggestion, and something I wish I’d thought to look at, although after taking a very brief glance at it now, I’m not sure how much it would have mattered.
Our Election Forecast Didn’t Say What I Thought It Would|Nate Silver (nrsilver@fivethirtyeight.com)|August 17, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
Profile attributes appear in your GMB listing, local Knowledge Panel and the local 3-pack, and make details about how your business is operating available at a glance.
How to optimize your Google local Knowledge Panel|George Nguyen|August 13, 2020|Search Engine Land
The best way to absorb that data is a quick glance at a chart or graph.
Data visualizations turn numbers into a story|Nancy Shute|August 3, 2020|Science News

Still, you may one day pass a big rig and, with a startled glance into the cab, notice no one’s at the wheel.
TuSimple’s Robot Big Rigs Will Automate Freight Coast to Coast|Jason Dorrier|July 5, 2020|Singularity Hub
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
Madame de Condillac stood watching him, her face composed, her glance cold.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
At Felipe's cry, the women waiting in the hall hurried in, wailing aloud as their first glance showed them all was over.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
Her glance wandered from his face away toward the Gulf, whose sonorous murmur reached her like a loving but imperative entreaty.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
She glanced up at him softly, under long lashes,—a thrilling glance; but he missed its radiance, for his own eyes were far away.
Rosemary in Search of a Father|C. N. Williamson
Suddenly he shot a disturbing glance at Tressan's face, and the corner of his wild-cat mustachios twitched.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini

British Dictionary definitions for glance (1 of 2)

glance¹

/ (ɡlɑːns) /

verb

(intr) to look hastily or briefly

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

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

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

(tr) to strike at an oblique anglethe 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, adverbglancingly, 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)

glance²

/ (ɡlɑːns) /

noun

any mineral having a metallic lustre, esp a simple sulphidecopper glance

Word Origin for glance

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).

glance

OTHER WORDS FOR glance

Origin of glance

synonym study for glance

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH glance

Words nearby glance

Other definitions for glance (2 of 2)

Origin of glance

Words related to glance

How to use glance in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for glance (1 of 2)

Derived forms of glance

Word Origin for glance

usage for glance

British Dictionary definitions for glance (2 of 2)

Word Origin for glance

Other Idioms and Phrases with glance