glimpse
noun /ɡlɪmps/
/ɡlɪmps/
[usually singular]- a sight of somebody/something for a very short time, when you do not see the person or thing completely
- glimpse (of somebody/something) He caught a glimpse of her in the crowd.
- I came up on deck to get my first glimpse of the island.
- Fans crowded the street outside waiting for a glimpse of their hero.
- glimpse at somebody/something I just got a glimpse at the baby, but she was very cute.
Synonyms looklook- glance
- gaze
- stare
- glimpse
- glare
- look an act of looking at somebody/something:
- Here, have a look at this.
- glance a quick look:
- She stole a glance at her watch.
- gaze a long, steady look at somebody/something:
- She felt embarrassed under his steady gaze.
- stare a long look at somebody/something, especially in a way that is unfriendly or that shows surprise:
- She gave the officer a blank stare and shrugged her shoulders.
- glimpse a look at somebody/something for a very short time, when you do not see the person or thing completely:
- He caught a glimpse of her in the crowd.
- glare a long, angry look at somebody/something:
- She fixed her questioner with a hostile glare.
- a look/glance at somebody/something
- a penetrating/piercing look/glance/gaze/stare
- a long look/glance/stare
- a brief look/glance/glimpse
- to have/get/take a look/glance/glimpse
- to avoid somebody’s glance/gaze/stare
Synonyms seesee- spot
- catch
- glimpse
- see to become aware of somebody/something by using your eyes:
- She looked for him but couldn’t see him in the crowd.
- He could see (that) she had been crying.
- spot to see or notice somebody/something, especially suddenly or when they are not easy to see or notice:
- I’ve just spotted a mistake on the front cover.
- catch to see or notice something for a moment, but not clearly or completely:
- She caught sight of a car in the distance.
- He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror.
- glimpse (literary) to see somebody/something for a moment, but not clearly or completely:
- He’d glimpsed her through the window as he passed.
- to see/spot that/how/what/where/who…
- to suddenly see/spot/glimpse somebody/something
Extra Examples- Later we caught our first glimpse of the sea.
- They caught occasional glimpses of great birds circling.
- This was my first tantalizing glimpse of the islands.
- Thousands of people had gathered, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Queen.
- We got just a brief glimpse of the car as it rushed by.
- We only had a fleeting glimpse of the sun all day.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- brief
- fleeting
- the merest
- …
- catch
- get
- have
- …
- glimpse at
- glimpse of
- a short experience of something that helps you to understand it
- glimpse (of something) The programme gives us a rare glimpse of a great artist at work.
- glimpse into something Take a glimpse into the future of rail travel.
- glimpse at something The exhibition offers a fascinating glimpse at life beneath the waves.
Extra Examples- She got a glimpse of a very different way of life.
- That smile afforded her a brief glimpse of the other side of Adam Burns.
- This scene may give a rare glimpse of Charles's personal style as king.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- brief
- fascinating
- intriguing
- …
- get
- have
- take
- …
- glimpse at
- glimpse into
- glimpse of
- …
Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘shine faintly’): probably of Germanic origin; related to Middle High German glimsen, also to glimmer.