What does "glimpse" mean?

1. (a brief look) a quick look at something that you do not see clearly or fully. 2. (a brief understanding) a short or small look into a complicated idea or situation. 3. (to see briefly) to see something for a very short time.

How do you use "glimpse"?

Commonly used in the phrase 'catch a glimpse of'. Often used with the preposition 'into'. In the active voice, the object follows the verb directly without a preposition.

glimpse

n. · v.

US //ˈɡɫɪmps// UK //ɡlˈɪmps// glimpse

1 a brief look (n.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

a quick look at something that you do not see clearly or fully.

a brief and often incomplete view of something. Usually followed by the preposition 'of'.

Example

I caught a glimpse of the famous actor as he ran into the hotel.

Example

Through the dense morning fog, the hikers caught a fleeting glimpse of the mountain peak before it was obscured once more.

Usage

Commonly used in the phrase 'catch a glimpse of'.
2 a brief understanding (n.)
C1 Advanced Formal

a short or small look into a complicated idea or situation.

a momentary or partial perception of an intangible concept or situation.

Example

The documentary gives us a glimpse into the daily lives of deep-sea divers.

Example

The leaked documents provided a fascinating glimpse into the internal power struggles of the administration during the crisis.

Usage

Often used with the preposition 'into'.
- insight
- inkling

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3 to see briefly (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

to see something for a very short time.

to see or perceive someone or something briefly and incompletely. Transitive — takes a direct object.

Example

She glimpsed a bright red bird flying through the trees.

Example

As the train sped past the station, he glimpsed his old friend standing on the platform among the commuters.

Usage

In the active voice, the object follows the verb directly without a preposition.
- stare
- scrutinize

Origin

The verb is derived from earlier glimse (obsolete), from Middle English glimsen (“to dazzle; to glisten; to glance with the eyes”), possibly from Old English glimsian, from Proto-West Germanic glimmisōjan, from Proto-Germanic glimō, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰley- (“to shine”). Doublet of glimmer. The noun is derived from the verb. Cognates Middle Dutch glinsen (modern Dutch glinsteren (“to glint, glitter, shimmer, sparkle; to glance”), glimmen (“to gleam, shine”)) Middle High German glimsen (“to glow, smoulder”), glinsen (“to glimmer, shine”) Middle Low German glinsen, glintzen, glinzen (“to shimmer, shine”)