glimpse

American  

[glimps] / glɪmps /

noun

1. a very brief, passing look, sight, or view.

2. a momentary or slight appearance.

3. a vague idea; inkling.

4. Archaic. a gleam, as of light.

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verb (used with object)

glimpsed, glimpsing

1. to catch or take a glimpse of.

   Synonyms:

   espy, sight, view, spy, spot

verb (used without object)

glimpsed, glimpsing

1. to look briefly; glance (usually followed byat ).

2. Archaic. to come into view; appear faintly.

glimpse British  

/ ɡlɪmps /

noun

1. a brief or incomplete view

   to catch a glimpse of the sea

2. a vague indication

   he had a glimpse of what the lecturer meant

3. archaic a glimmer of light

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verb

1. (tr) to catch sight of briefly or momentarily

2. to look (at) briefly or cursorily; glance (at)

3. archaic (intr) to shine faintly; glimmer

Usage

Glimpse is sometimes wrongly used where glance is meant: he gave a quick glance (not glimpse ) at his watch

Other Word Forms

• glimpser noun
• unglimpsed adjective

Etymology

Origin of glimpse

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English glimsen (verb); cognate with Middle High German glimsen “to glow”; akin to glimmer

Example Sentences

He also gives a glimpse of the outside of his "sanctuary", a private place for his own personal reflection.

From BBC

The treasure trove of fossils offers a rare glimpse into a cataclysmic event that brought a sudden end to the greatest explosion of life in our planet's history.

From Barron's

Malaysia’s peanut-butter imports offer a glimpse at the scale of the challenge.

From The Wall Street Journal

The cache of documents offer a rare glimpse into the inner sanctum of the Silicon Valley elite, revealing how deals are made and even how they regard one another.

From The Wall Street Journal

Geese and other birds back home migrate for the winter, and I liked catching a glimpse of them traveling in their flying vees, but it was nothing like this.

From Literature

Related Words

• flash
• glance
• impression
• peek
• sight
• sighting