Library / English Dictionary

GLEAM

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

An appearance of reflected light

Synonyms:

gleam; gleaming; glow; lambency

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("gleam" is a kind of...):

effulgence; radiance; radiancy; refulgence; refulgency; shine (the quality of being bright and sending out rays of light)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A flash of light (especially reflected light)

Synonyms:

gleam; gleaming; glimmer

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("gleam" is a kind of...):

flash (a sudden intense burst of radiant energy)

Derivation:

gleam (shine brightly, like a star or a light)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Appear briefly

Example:

A terrible thought gleamed in her mind

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "gleam" is one way to...):

appear; come along (come into being or existence, or appear on the scene)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Sense 2

Meaning:

Shine brightly, like a star or a light

Synonyms:

gleam; glimmer

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Hypernyms (to "gleam" is one way to...):

radiate (cause to be seen by emitting light as if in rays)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sentence examples:

Lights gleam on the horizon

The horizon is gleaming with lights

Derivation:

gleam; gleaming (a flash of light (especially reflected light))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Be shiny, as if wet

Example:

His eyes were glistening

Synonyms:

gleam; glint; glisten; glitter; shine

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Hypernyms (to "gleam" is one way to...):

appear; look; seem (give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "gleam"):

spangle (glitter as if covered with spangles)

shimmer (give off a shimmering reflection, as of silk)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Credits

 Context examples: 

And now after passing Holmesley Walk and the Wooton Heath, the forest began to shred out into scattered belts of trees, with gleam of corn-field and stretch of pasture-land between.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

His face was very much agitated and very much flushed, and there were strong workings in the features, and strange gleams in the eyes.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Her eyes gleamed, and her head tossed, while the smith with his two big hands outspread seemed to be soothing her as best he could.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Mercury will go retrograde in Pisces from February 16 to March 9, but Mercury will not interfere with the gleaming career opportunities that will be brought to you by Mars.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

He lay listlessly as I entered the room, but the sight of me brought a gleam of recognition to his eyes.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A gleam of sunshine took her quite by surprise; she looked round; the clouds were parting, and she instantly returned to the window to watch over and encourage the happy appearance.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

Not a bough waved, not the gleam of a musket-barrel betrayed the presence of our foes.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

The aspect was so favourable that even without a fire it was habitable in many an early spring and late autumn morning to such a willing mind as Fanny's; and while there was a gleam of sunshine she hoped not to be driven from it entirely, even when winter came.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

He shook his fist angrily at the gleaming eyes, and began securely to prop his moccasins before the fire.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

I saw him with a chair in his hand, a knife gleamed in hers.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)