glance
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ɡlɑːns/
ipa: /ɡlæns/
rhymes: -ɑːns
rhymes: -æns
Forms: form: glances
form: glancing
form: glanced
form: glanced
form: no-table-tags
form: glossary
form: glance
form: glance
form: glanced
form: glance
form: glancest
form: glanced
form: glancedst
form: glances
form: glanceth
form: glanced
form: glance
form: glanced
form: glance
form: glanced
form: glance
form: -
form: glancing
form: glanced
form: glaunce
Etymology: The verb is derived from Late Middle English glenchen (“of a blow: to strike obliquely, glance; of a person: to turn quickly aside, dodge”) [and other forms], a blend of:
* Old French glacier, glachier, glaichier (“to slide; to slip”) (whence also Middle English glacen (“of a blow: to strike obliquely, glance; to glide”)), from glace (“frozen water, ice”) (from Vulgar Latin *glacia, from Latin glaciēs (“ice”), of uncertain origin, + -ier (suffix forming infinitives of first-conjugation verbs); and
* Old French guenchir, ganchir (“to avoid; to change direction; to elude, evade”) [and other forms], from Proto-West Germanic *wankijan (“to move aside; to stagger, sway; to wave”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weng- (“to bend”).
The noun is derived from the verb.
The sense "to look briefly (at something)" is probably due to partial conflation with Middle English glenten (“to look askance”)—the ancestor of English glint—in the Middle English period. This conflation may also have reinforced the medial -n-. See English glint
Senses: examples: text: Deare heart forbeare to glance thine eye aſide, / What needſt thou wound with cunning when thy might / Is more then my ore-preſt defence can bide?
ref: 1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 139”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC, signature I, verso:
text: Vivian glanced a look, which would have been annihilation to any one, not a freeholder of five hundred acres.
ref: 1826, [Benjamin Disraeli], “The Hall”, in Vivian Grey, volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, book II, page 195:
text: He, however, blenched not a step, but glancing his severe eye round the group, which half encompassed him, at last bent it sternly on Sir Edmund Andros.
ref: 1837 March 6, Nathaniel Hawthorne, “The Gray Champion”, in Twice-Told Tales, Boston, Mass.: American Stationers Co.; John B. Russell, →OCLC, page 19:
glosses: To turn (one's eyes or look) at something, often briefly.
examples: text: A horseman rode up as he spoke, and gave a letter. Claverhouse glanced it over, laughed scornfully, bade him tell his master to send his prisoners to Edinburgh, for there was no answer; […]
ref: 1816, Jedadiah Cleishbotham [pseudonym; Walter Scott], chapter VI, in Tales of My Landlord, […], volume IV (Old Mortality), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for William Blackwood, […]; London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, page 110:
glosses: To look briefly at (something).
examples: text: The bink, with its usual arrangement of pewter and earthenware, which was most strictly and critically clean, glanced back the flame of the lamp merrily from one side of the apartment.
ref: 1824 June, [Walter Scott], “Letter IV. The Same to the Same [Darsie Latimer to Alan Fairford].”, in Redgauntlet, […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, page 70:
glosses: To cause (light) to gleam or sparkle.
examples: text: One morning as I lay in my bed, a ſtrong motion was ſuddenly glanced into my thoughts of going to London; I aroſe and betook me to the way, […]
ref: a. 1657, Joseph Hall, “Observations on Some Specialties of Divine Providence in the Life of Jos. Hall, Bishop of Norwich”, in The Shaking of the Olive-Tree. The Remaining Works of that Incomparable Prelate Joseph Hall, D.D. […], London: […] J. Cadwel for J[ohn] Crooke, […], published 1660, →OCLC, page 22:
text: [S]hould we croſs them, tho they ſhould ſee Shoals of Fiſh, or Turtle, or the like, they will purpoſely ſtrike their Harpoons and Turtle-irons aſide, or ſo glance them as to kill nothing.
ref: 1697, William Dampier, “An Account of the Author’s Return out of the South Seas, to His Landing near Cape St. Lawrence, in the Isthmus of Darien: With an Occasional Description of the Moskito Indians”, in A New Voyage Round the World. […], London: […] James Knapton, […], →OCLC, page 10:
glosses: To cause (something) to move obliquely.
examples: text: Doncaster paid the price two minutes later when [Kevin] Doyle sent [Stephen] Hunt away down the left and his pinpoint cross was glanced in by Fletcher for his sixth goal of the season.
ref: 2011 January 18, “Wolverhampton 5 – 0 Doncaster”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 09 Apr 2023:
topics: ball-games
games
hobbies
lifestyle
sports
glosses: To cause (something) to move obliquely.
To hit (a ball) lightly, causing it to move in another direction.
topics: ball-games
cricket
games
hobbies
lifestyle
sports
glosses: To cause (something) to move obliquely.
To hit (a ball) with a bat held in a slanted manner; also, to play such a stroke against (the bowler).
examples: text: [T]here his Eye took diſtant Aim, / And glanc'd Reſpect to that bright Dame, […]
ref: 1718, Mat[thew] Prior, “Alma: Or, The Progress of the Mind”, in Poems on Several Occasions, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], and John Barber […], →OCLC, canto II, page 345:
text: As if there were no glowing eye i’ the world, / To glance straight inspiration to my brain, / No glorious heart to give mine twice the beats!
ref: 1846, Robert Browning, “Luria. A Tragedy.”, in Poems […], new edition, volume II, London: Chapman & Hall, […], published 1849, →OCLC, page 201:
glosses: To communicate (something) using the eyes.
examples: text: Alone, it was the ſubiect of my Theame: / In company I often glanced it: / Still did I tell him, it was vilde and bad.
ref: c. 1594 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Comedie of Errors”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], page 97, column 1:
text: Afterwards I tooke a walke in yᵉ King’s gardens, where I observ’d that the Mall gos the whole square thereof next yᵉ wall, and bends with an angle so made as to glace [glance] yᵉ hall; the angle is of stone.
ref: 1651 September 25 (Gregorian calendar), John Evelyn, “[Diary entry for 15 September 1651]”, in William Bray, editor, Memoirs, Illustrative of the Life and Writings of John Evelyn, […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […]; and sold by John and Arthur Arch, […], published 1819, →OCLC, page 255:
glosses: To touch (something) lightly or obliquely; to graze.
examples: text: I will this Night, / in ſeuerall Hands, in at his Windowes throw, / As if they came from ſeuerall Citizens, / Writings, all tending to the great opinion / That Rome holds of his Name: wherein obſcurely / Cæſars Ambition ſhall be glanced at.
ref: 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], page 112, column 2:
text: And therefore in order to promote ſo uſeful a Work, I will here take Leave to glance a few Innuendo’s, that may be of great Aſſiſtance to thoſe ſublime Spirits, who ſhall be appointed to labor in a univerſal Comment upon this wonderful Diſcourſe.
ref: 1704, [Jonathan Swift], “Section X. A Tale of a Tub.”, in A Tale of a Tub. […], London: […] John Nutt, […], →OCLC, page 191:
text: [T]hey rush upon him, and he narrowly escapes killing or ducking, for having ventured to glance a censure at the General.
ref: 1825, Thomas Carlyle, “Part III. From His Settlement at Jena to His Death (1790–1805).”, in The Life of Friedrich Schiller. […], London: […] [C. Richards] for Taylor and Hessey, […], →OCLC, page 204:
glosses: To make an incidental or passing reflection, often unfavourably, on (a topic); also, to make (an incidental or passing reflection, often unfavourable).
examples: text: A has a little gald me I confeſſe: / And as the Ieſt did glaunce awaie from me, […]
ref: c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii], page 228, column 1:
text: I am glad yet your arrow hath glanced.
ref: c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, […] [T]he Merrie Wiues of Windsor. […] (First Quarto), London: […] T[homas] C[reede] for Arthur Ihonson, […], published 1602, →OCLC, [Act V, scene v]:
text: On mee the Curſe aſlope / Glanc'd on the ground, with labour I muſt earne / My bread; what harm? Idleneſs had bin worſe; […]
ref: 1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 1053–1055:
text: So that the more friends and relations I have, and the dearer and nearer they are, the more croſſes I have, by participating theirs: and every bitter Arrow that wounds any of them, glanceth upon me, and makes my wounds the more by how much the more friends and relations I have; and makes them deeper, by how much the nearer or dearer thoſe friends or relations are to me.
ref: 1676, [Matthew Hale], “Of Afflictions, the Best Preparation for Them, and Improvement of Them, and of Our Delivery out of Them”, in Contemplations Moral and Divine. […], London: […] William Godbid, for William Shrowsbury […], and John Leigh […], →OCLC, pages 66–67:
text: [F]rom Cteſippus’ arm the ſpear elanc’d / On good Eumæus’ ſhield and ſhoulder glanc’d; […]
ref: 1726, Homer, “Book XXII”, in [Alexander Pope], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume V, London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC, page 113, lines 308–309:
text: But the object of this violence was so ready to defend himself by striking upon the assailant's hand, that the blow only glanced on the bone, and scarce drew blood.
ref: 1828 May 15, [Walter Scott], chapter II, in Chronicles of the Canongate. Second Series. […] (The Fair Maid of Perth), volume I, Edinburgh: […] [Ballantyne and Co.] for Cadell and Co.; London: Simpkin and Marshall, →OCLC, page 61:
text: I started—I dropped the glass—the fluid flamed and glanced along the floor, while I felt Cornelius’s gripe at my throat, as he shrieked aloud, “Wretch! you have destroyed the labour of my life!”
ref: 1833 December, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, “The Mortal Immortal”, in Charles Gibbon, editor, The Casquet of Literature: […], volume III, London; Glasgow: Blackie & Son, […], published 1873, →OCLC, page 355, column 1:
glosses: To strike and fly off in an oblique direction; to dart aside.
topics: ball-games
cricket
games
hobbies
lifestyle
sports
glosses: To strike and fly off in an oblique direction; to dart aside.
To hit a ball with a bat held in a slanted manner.
examples: text: [Page 493] [G]eneral impressions of glancing frequency in Acanthochromis juveniles have suggested that the glancing off parents occurs most often in young juveniles and appears to diminish in frequency as juveniles age […] [Page 494] The unusually high variance in lagoon stage-3 juveniles was caused by one relatively small brood (14) that glanced 36 times in one 30-min observation period.
ref: 1988 May 1, Kathryn Kavanagh, “Notes on the Frequency and Function of Glancing in Juvenile Acanthochromis (Pomacentridae)”, in Michael E. Douglas, editor, Copeia, number 2, Lawrence, Kan.: American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, →ISSN, →JSTOR, →OCLC, pages 493 and 494:
topics: biology
ichthyology
natural-sciences
zoology
glosses: To strike and fly off in an oblique direction; to dart aside.
Of certain juvenile fish, chiefly of the Cichlidae family: to rapidly touch the side of its parent's body, usually to feed on mucus.
examples: text: She watched the spring sunlight glancing on the water of the pond.
text: [T]hou [God] didſt call, thou didſt cry, thou didſt break my Deafneſs, thou glancedſt, thou didſt ſhine, thou chaſeſt away my Darkneſs.
ref: 1678, Robert Barclay, An Apology for the True Christian Divinity, as the Same is Held Forth, and Preached, by the People, Called in Scorn, Quakers: […], 4th edition, London: […] T. Sowle, […], published 1701, →OCLC, page 195:
text: From art, from nature, from the schools, / Let random influences glance, / Like light in many a shiver’d lance, / That breaks about the dappled pools: […]
ref: 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XLVIII”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 71:
glosses: Of light, etc.: to gleam, to sparkle.
examples: text: In thee freſh brooks, and ſoft ſtreams glance / And all my fountains clear.
ref: 1673, John Milton, “Psal[m] LXXXVII”, in Poems, &c. upon Several Occasions, London: […] Tho[mas] Dring […], →OCLC, stanza 7, page 162:
text: [A] driving daſhing rain, / Peal upon peal redoubling all around, / Shakes it again and faſter to the ground, / Now flaſhing wide, now glancing as in play, / Swift beyond thought the light’nings dart away; […]
ref: 1781 (date written), William Cowper, “Truth”, in Poems, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], published 1782, →OCLC, page 85:
text: Were there no stockings of Zetland wool soft enough for these pretty feet and ancles, that glance so white in the moon-beam?
ref: 1822, [Walter Scott], chapter X, in The Pirate. […], volume II, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, page 248:
text: [A]n insane light glanced in her heavy black eyes.
ref: 1851 June – 1852 April, Harriet Beecher Stowe, “The Quadroon’s Story”, in Uncle Tom’s Cabin; or, Life among the Lowly, volume I, Boston, Mass.: John P[unchard] Jewett & Company; Cleveland, Oh.: Jewett, Proctor & Worthington, published 20 March 1852, →OCLC, page 211:
text: [H]e gallop’d up / To join them, glancing like a dragon-fly / In summer suit and silks of holiday.
ref: 1859, Alfred Tennyson, “Enid”, in Idylls of the King, London: Edward Moxon & Co., […], →OCLC, page 10:
text: […] those that walked armed before the Witches’ booths, six in company, harnessed as for battle in byrnies of shining bronze, with greaves and shields of bronze and helms that glanced in the sun.
ref: 1922, E[ric] R[ücker] Eddison, The Worm Ouroboros: A Romance, London: Jonathan Cape […], →OCLC, page 17:
glosses: Of a thing: to move in a way that catches light, and flash or glitter.
examples: text: She glanced at her reflection as she passed the mirror.
text: The Poets eye, in a fine frenzy, rolling, doth glance / From heauen to earth, from earth to heauen.
ref: c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], page 53:
text: Hither come—thou once of men, / Blest with pure science from above; / Thy spirit now returns again / To its native realms of love. / […] / And as thou glancest hence to there, / Remember that it gave thee birth, / And still illumine it from here.
ref: 1796 July, “Selected Poetry. To the Memory of Dr. [David] Rittenhouse.”, in The New-York Magazine, or Literary Repository, volume I (New Series), New York, N.Y.: […] T[homas] and J[ames] Swords, […], →OCLC, page 386:
text: A bright beautiful face glanced out at the window, and vanished—a light footstep was heard—and Mary came tripping forth to meet us.
ref: 1819 June 23, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “The Wife”, in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., number I, New York, N.Y.: […] C[ornelius] S. Van Winkle, […], →OCLC, page 53:
text: The young lady took up the paper, and turned it over and over, […] when, suddenly, her eye glanced on something which made her change colour, […]
ref: 1831, [Thomas Love Peacock], “The Newspaper”, in Crotchet Castle. […], London: T[homas] Hookham […], →OCLC, page 252:
text: His thoughts glanced at all the neighbours who had made any remarks, or asked any questions which he might now regard as a ground of suspicion.
ref: 1861, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], chapter V, in Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe, Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, part I, page 83:
text: She was deadly pale, and breathing fast, glancing furtively towards the bed, as she fastened her mantle, to see if she had disturbed me.
ref: 1893 (indicated as 1894), A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “The Yellow Face”, in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, London: George Newnes, […], →OCLC, page 41:
glosses: Often followed by at: of the eyes or a person: to look briefly.
examples: text: Is’t not enough thou haſt ſuborn’d theſe women, / To accuſe this worthy man? but in foule mouth, / And in the witneſſe of his proper eare, / To call him villaine; and then to glance from him, / To th’ Duke himſelfe, to taxe him with Iniuſtice?
ref: c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], page 82, column 1:
text: He could never procure himself to be chosen fellow; for it was objected against him, that he had written verses, and particularly some, wherein he glanced at a certain reverend doctor famous for dulness; […]
ref: a. 1746 (date written), Jonathan Swift, “An Essay on the Fates of Clergymen”, in Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols, editors, The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, […], new edition, volume V, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], published 1801, →OCLC, page 120:
text: Francesca followed, reluctant enough in her secret; for though she would not have admitted it even to herself, she did shrink from the infliction of the inane solemnities with which her father garnished his discourse—to say nothing of the ungracious reflections which so often glanced at herself.
ref: 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XXIX, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 237:
text: You do not appear to me to recognize the gravity of your situation, or you would be more careful not to pejorate the same by words which glance upon the purity of justice.
ref: 1892, Robert Louis Stevenson, “Lord Advocate Prestongrange”, in Catriona, London; Edinburgh: Thomas Nelson & Sons, →OCLC, page 49:
glosses: Often followed by at: of a topic: to make an incidental or passing reflection on, often unfavourably; to allude to; to hint at.
examples: text: Some have digged deep, yet glanced by the Royal Vein; and a Man may come unto the Pericardium, but not the Heart of Truth.
ref: c. 1670s (date written), Thomas Brown [i.e., Thomas Browne], “Sect[ion] III”, in John Jeffery, editor, Christian Morals, […], Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] [A]t the University-Press, for Cornelius Crownfield printer to the University; and are to be sold by Mr. Knapton […]; and Mr. [John] Morphew […], published 1716, →OCLC, part II, page 49:
glosses: Followed by by: to pass near without coming into contact.
examples: text: Why is my verſe ſo barren of new pride? / So far from variation or quicke change? / Why with the time do I not glance aſide / To new found methods, and to compounds ſtrange?
ref: 1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 76”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC:
text: [D]are / They [souls] paſſe the outſide and venture ſo farre / As into the depth of the ſouls ſubſtance? / […] / If that; the object gone, away thoſe forms do glance.
ref: 1642, H[enry] M[ore], “ΨΥΧΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΑ [Psychathanasia] Platonica: Or A Platonicall Poem of the Immortality of Souls, Especially Mans Soul”, in ΨΥΧΩΔΙΑ [Psychōdia] Platonica: Or A Platonicall Song of the Soul, […], Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Roger Daniel, printer to the Universitie, →OCLC, book 1, canto 2, stanza 24, page 44:
text: And all along the Forum, and up the Sacred Street, / His vulture eye pursued the trip of those small glancing feet.
ref: 1834–1838 (date written), Thomas Babington Macaulay, “Virginia”, in Lays of Ancient Rome, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 153:
glosses: To move quickly; to dart, to shoot.
Synonyms: word: glance
word: gleg
word: glimpse
word: shufti
Hypernyms: word: look
Hyponyms: word: peep
word: peek
Derived terms: word: foreglance
word: glanceability
word: glanceable
word: glance away
word: glance off
word: glance over
word: glancer
word: glancing
word: glancingly
word: overglance
word: upglance
Related terms: word: once-over
word: squint
word: spot