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glimpse

/glɪm(p)s/
/glɪmps/
IPA guide

Other forms: glimpses; glimpsed; glimpsing

If you had a brief or incomplete look at something, you had a glimpse. "He didn't mean to peek, but he got a glimpse of his birthday present when his wife tried to sneak it into the house. Of course, it's pretty hard to hide a ladder."

You can use glimpse as a noun (like when you "catch a glimpse of someone") or as a verb (like when you "glimpse in someone's direction"). Although the word glimpse is usually used to describe the physical act of sneaking a peek at something, you can also use the noun glimpse to indicate a vague idea or suggestion. Perhaps, you can have a glimpse into your future by observing your parents' actions or by consulting a Tarot card reader.

Definitions of glimpse
  1. noun
    a brief or incomplete view
    “from the window he could catch a glimpse of the lake”
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    type of:
    aspect, panorama, prospect, scene, view, vista
    the visual percept of a region
  2. noun
    a quick look
    synonyms: coup d'oeil, gander, glance
    see moresee less
    types:
    eye-beaming
    a radiant glance of the eye
    side-glance, side-look
    a glance sideways
    type of:
    look, looking, looking at
    the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
  3. noun
    a vague indication
    “he caught only a glimpse of the professor's meaning”
    see moresee less
    type of:
    indicant, indication
    something that serves to indicate or suggest
  4. verb
    catch a glimpse of or see briefly
    “We glimpsed the Queen as she got into her limousine”
    see moresee less
    type of:
    see
    perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
Pronunciation
US
/glɪm(p)s/
UK
/glɪmps/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘glimpse'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of gold-punch.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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