Word: glory Part of Speech: noun Etymology: From Middle English glory, glorie, from Old French glorie (“glory”), from Latin glōria (“glory, fame, renown, praise, ambition, boasting”). Doublet of gloria. Displaced native Old English wuldor. Pronunciation: /ˈɡlɔːɹi/, /ˈɡloːɹɪj/, /ˈɡloɹi/, [ˈɡlɔɹi], /ˈɡloːɹi/ 1. Great beauty and splendor. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: He was thinking; but the glory of the song, the swell from the great organ, the clustered lights, […], the height and vastness of this noble fane, its antiquity and its strength—all these things seemed to have their part as causes of the thrilling emotion that accompanied his thoughts. Example: One of the hidden glories of Victorian engineering is proper drains. Isolating a city’s effluent and shipping it away in underground sewers has probably saved more lives than any medical procedure except vaccination. 2. Honour, admiration, or distinction, accorded by common consent to a person or thing; high reputation; renown. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: In this faire wize they traueild long yfere, Through many hard assayes, which did betide; Of which he honour still away did beare, And spred his glorie through all countries wide. 3. That quality in a person or thing which secures general praise or honour. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Deeme it no gloire to swell in tyrannie. Example: As jewels lose their glory if neglected, So princes their renowns if not respected. 4. Worship or praise. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 5. An optical phenomenon, consisting of concentric rings and somewhat similar to a rainbow, caused by sunlight or moonlight interacting with the water droplets that compose mist or clouds, centered on the antisolar or antilunar point. Labels: countable, uncountable 6. Victory; success. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: But, with United fans in celebratory mood as it appeared their team might snatch glory, they faced an anxious wait as City equalised in stoppage time. 7. An emanation of light supposed to shine from beings that are specially holy. It is represented in art by rays of gold, or the like, proceeding from the head or body, or by a disk, or a mere line. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: How does the Luſtre of our Father’s Actions, Through the dark Cloud of Ills that cover him, Break out, and burn with more triumphant Brightneſs! His Suff’rings ſhine, and ſpread a Glory round him; […] Example: Seen across the dim candle with his moistened eyes, she looked as if she had a glory shining round her head. 8. The manifestation of the presence of God as perceived by humans in Abrahamic religions. Labels: countable, uncountable 9. Pride; boastfulness; arrogance. Labels: countable, obsolete, uncountable Example: […] But if thou declare The Secrets, truth; and art so mad to dare (In glory of thy fortunes) to approue, That rich-crownd Venus, mixt with thee in loue; Ioue (fir’d with my aspersion, so dispred) Will, with a wreakefull lightning, dart thee dead. 10. Something glorious. Labels: countable, uncountable Example: It was a woman’s clothing, beyond a doubt, […] The two men gazed at the heap of feminine glories, — it might have been the most wonderful sight they ever had seen.