The meaning of Gleam

noun

A long, sturdy piece of squared timber or metal used to support the roof or floor of a building.

Usage examples:

There are very fine oak beams in the oldest part of the house

verb

Transmit (a radio signal or broadcast) in a specified direction.

Usage examples:

The satellite beamed back radio signals to scientists on earth

noun

A line of light coming from the sun or a bright light, esp. as seen against a darker background

Usage examples:

A beam of sunlight, a laser beam scans the disc’s surface., [ i ] the sun beamed down on the ball f…

verb

Shut and open the eyes quickly.

Usage examples:

I blinked in astonishment

noun

An act of shutting and opening the eyes very quickly.

Usage examples:

He was observing her every blink

verb

To close and open the eyes quickly, once or several times

Usage examples:

[ i ] he stared at us without blinking.

noun

The quality or state of giving out or reflecting light.

Usage examples:

We can change the brightness of the bulb

noun

The quality of shining with, or of producing, a lot of light

Usage examples:

The brightness of the snow made him blink., the moon's brightness fluctuates as it orbits the plane…

noun

Intense brightness of light.

Usage examples:

The nights were dark, lit only by the brilliance of aegean stars

verb

(of light) flash or sparkle.

Usage examples:

The light was coruscating through the walls

noun

Each of the four slender jointed parts attached to either hand (or five, if the thumb is included).

Usage examples:

She raked her hair back with her fingers

verb

Touch or feel with the fingers.

Usage examples:

The thin man fingered his moustache

verb

Any of the terminal members of the hand

noun

A sudden brief burst of bright flame or light.

Usage examples:

The flare of the match lit up his face

verb

Burn or shine with a sudden intensity.

Usage examples:

The bonfire crackled and flared up

verb

To burn brightly either for a short time or on and off

Usage examples:

The candle flared then went out., [ i ] these trousers flare slightly at the ankle., the dispute th…

verb

Shine in a bright but brief, sudden, or intermittent way.

Usage examples:

Lightning flashed overhead

noun

A sudden brief burst of bright light.

Usage examples:

A flash of lightning

adjective

Ostentatiously stylish or expensive.

Usage examples:

A flash new car

verb

(of light or a source of light) shine unsteadily; vary rapidly in brightness.

Usage examples:

The interior lights flickered, and came on

noun

An unsteady movement of a flame or light causing rapid variations in brightness.

Usage examples:

The flicker of a candle flame caught our eyes

noun

An american woodpecker that often feeds on ants on the ground.

Usage examples:

Woodpeckers, flickers, chickadees and nuthatches are among the many species that benefit from it.

verb

Shine or glow brightly due to fluorescence.

Usage examples:

The molecules fluoresce when excited by ultraviolet radiation

verb

To absorb light of a short wavelength and produce light of a longer wavelength, particularly when this produces a very bright colour that can be seen in the dark

Usage examples:

This material fluoresces under ultraviolet light which makes it easier to identify., the coral fluo…

verb

Destroy (small growths or areas of tissue) using diathermy.

Usage examples:

A high-frequency electric current is applied to fulgurate the biological tissue

verb

Shine faintly with a wavering light.

Usage examples:

The moonlight glimmered on the lawn

noun

A faint or wavering light.

Usage examples:

He saw a faint glimmer of light from her window

verb

(of light) to shine without strength or not continuously

Usage examples:

A candle glimmered faintly in the darkened room., a glimmer of light, the treaty offered a glimmer …

verb

Give out or reflect small flashes of light.

Usage examples:

Her glasses glinted in the firelight

noun

A small flash of light, especially a reflected one.

Usage examples:

The glint of gold in his teeth

verb

(of something wet or greasy) shine with a sparkling light.

Usage examples:

His cheeks glistened with tears

noun

A sparkling light reflected from something wet.

Usage examples:

There was a glisten of perspiration across her top lip

verb

(esp. of wet surfaces) to shine brightly

Usage examples:

His eyes glistened with tears.

verb

Sparkle; glitter.

Usage examples:

The wedding ring caught the light, glistering brightly

noun

A sparkle.

Usage examples:

Within the canvas, there is a makeshift altar, the flickering of candles illuminating the glister o…

verb

Shine with a bright, shimmering reflected light.

Usage examples:

The grass glittered with dew

noun

A bright, shimmering reflected light.

Usage examples:

The blue glitter of the sea

verb

To shine with little, bright flashes of reflected light

Usage examples:

The grass glittered like jewels., the glitter of moonlight on the lake, decorate the dress with gli…

noun

Shine or lustre on a smooth surface.

Usage examples:

Hair with a healthy gloss

verb

Apply a glossy substance to.

Usage examples:

The singer glossed her lips a deep red

verb

Provide an explanation, interpretation, or paraphrase for (a text, word, etc.).

Usage examples:

The japanese word often glossed as ‘sincerity’ really means something different

verb

Give out steady light without flame.

Usage examples:

The tips of their cigarettes glowed in the dark

noun

A steady radiance of light or heat.

Usage examples:

The setting sun cast a deep red glow over the city

noun

The chemical element of atomic number 71, a rare silvery-white metal of the lanthanide series.

The chemical element lutetium.

noun

The emission of light by a substance that has not been heated, as in fluorescence and phosphorescence.

Usage examples:

Honey fungus produces a ghostly greenish luminescence

noun

The giving out of light by a substance that has not been heated

Usage examples:

A variety of lighting elements are used, from led to chemical luminescence., the car headlights lit…

noun

Luminous quality.

Usage examples:

Acrylic colours retain freshness and luminosity

noun

The total amount of energy produced by a star in one second

noun

A gentle sheen or soft glow.

Usage examples:

The lustre of the milky way

noun

Another term for lustrum.

noun

The brightness that a shiny surface has

Usage examples:

A treatment for restoring the lustre to dull hair, the rich lustre of well-polished furniture, the …

noun

An instrument for writing or drawing, consisting of a thin stick of graphite or a similar substance enclosed in a long thin piece of wood or fixed in a cylindrical case.

Usage examples:

Have a pencil and paper ready

verb

Write, draw, or colour with a pencil.

Usage examples:

A previous owner has pencilled their name inside the cover

noun

A thin, usually wooden, tube-shaped device for writing or drawing which has colored material in the center and a point at one end

Usage examples:

[ c ] colored pencils, [ u ] make your corrections in pencil (= using a pencil).

noun

Light or heat as emitted or reflected by something.

Usage examples:

The radiance of the sunset dwindled and died

noun

Warmth or heat or bright light

Usage examples:

We basked in the radiance of the afternoon sun., there was something about her eyes that went beyon…

noun

Each of the lines in which light (and heat) may seem to stream from the sun or any luminous body, or pass through a small opening.

Usage examples:

A ray of sunlight came through the window

verb

Spread from or as if from a central point.

Usage examples:

Delicate lines rayed out at each corner of her eyes

noun

A broad flat marine or freshwater fish with a cartilaginous skeleton, winglike pectoral fins, and a long slender tail. many rays have venomous spines or electric organs.

Usage examples:

Participants will dive amidst one of europe's largest collection of sharks, as well as 2000 other f…

verb

Emit flashes of light; sparkle.

Usage examples:

The sleek boat seemed to scintillate with a dark blue light

noun

A long, narrow part or section forming the handle of a tool or club, the body of a spear or arrow, or similar.

Usage examples:

The shaft of a golf club

verb

(of light) shine in beams.

Usage examples:

Brilliant sunshine shafted through the skylight

noun

A soft lustre on a surface.

Usage examples:

Black crushed velvet with a slight sheen

verb

Shine or cause to shine softly.

Usage examples:

Men entered with rain sheening their steel helms

noun

A smooth shine or brightness

Usage examples:

The polished floor had a beautiful sheen to it.

verb

Shine with a soft, slightly wavering light.

Usage examples:

The sea shimmered in the sunlight

noun

A soft, slightly wavering light.

Usage examples:

A pale shimmer of moonlight

verb

(of the sun or another source of light) give out a bright light.

Usage examples:

The sun shone through the window

noun

A quality of brightness produced when light is reflected on something.

Usage examples:

My hair has lost its shine

noun

A small fiery particle thrown off from a fire, alight in ashes, or produced by striking together two hard surfaces such as stone or metal.

Usage examples:

A log fire was sending sparks on to the rug

verb

Emit sparks of fire or electricity.

Usage examples:

The ignition sparks as soon as the gas is turned on

verb

Engage in courtship.

Usage examples:

He went a sparking among the rosy country girls

verb

Shine brightly with flashes of light.

Usage examples:

Her earrings sparkled as she turned her head

noun

A glittering flash of light.

Usage examples:

There was a sparkle in his eyes

verb

To shine brightly

Usage examples:

The lake sparkled in the sunlight., his writings sparkle with intelligence., we could tell she was …

verb

(of a star or light, or a shiny object) shine with a gleam that changes constantly from bright to faint.

Usage examples:

The lights twinkled in the distance

noun

A sparkle or gleam in a person's eyes.

Usage examples:

She looked at me with a grin and a twinkle in her eye

verb

(of light) to shine brightly and then less brightly, as if quickly flashing on and off

Usage examples:

Stars twinkled in the clear night sky., his eyes twinkled with mischief., we could see the twinkle …

verb

Close and open one eye quickly, typically to indicate that something is a joke or a secret or as a signal of affection or greeting.

Usage examples:

He winked at nicole as he passed

noun

An act of winking.

Usage examples:

Barney gave him a knowing wink