GLEAM

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does gleam mean? 

• GLEAM (noun)
  The noun GLEAM has 2 senses:

1. an appearance of reflected light

2. a flash of light (especially reflected light)

  Familiarity information: GLEAM used as a noun is rare.

• GLEAM (verb)
  The verb GLEAM has 3 senses:

1. be shiny, as if wet

2. shine brightly, like a star or a light

3. appear briefly

  Familiarity information: GLEAM used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GLEAM (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An appearance of reflected light

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

gleam; gleaming; glow; lambency

Hypernyms ("gleam" is a kind of...):

effulgence; radiance; radiancy; refulgence; refulgency; shine (the quality of being bright and sending out rays of light)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A flash of light (especially reflected light)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

gleam; gleaming; glimmer

Hypernyms ("gleam" is a kind of...):

flash (a sudden intense burst of radiant energy)

Derivation:

gleam (shine brightly, like a star or a light)

• GLEAM (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they gleam    ... he / she / it gleams   
Past simple: gleamed   
Past participle: gleamed   
-ing form: gleaming   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be shiny, as if wet

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

gleam; glint; glisten; glitter; shine

Context example:

His eyes were glistening

Hypernyms (to "gleam" is one way to...):

appear; look; seem (give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "gleam"):

spangle (glitter as if covered with spangles)

shimmer (give off a shimmering reflection, as of silk)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Shine brightly, like a star or a light

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

gleam; glimmer

Hypernyms (to "gleam" is one way to...):

radiate (cause to be seen by emitting light as if in rays)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sentence examples:

Lights gleam on the horizon
The horizon is gleaming with lights

Derivation:

gleam; gleaming (a flash of light (especially reflected light))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Appear briefly

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

A terrible thought gleamed in her mind

Hypernyms (to "gleam" is one way to...):

appear; come along (come into being or existence, or appear on the scene)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

 Context examples 

A circle of the gleaming eyes had drawn about their camp.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

The detective mounted the stairs, and our lamp gleamed upon his shining waterproof.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

We saw the shimmering slaty gleam of their skins between the tree-trunks, and their heads undulating high above the brush-wood.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The knife occupied a place in the picture, he decided, and would show well, with a sort of gleam, in the light of the stars.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

From the top of this boulder the gleam of something bright caught my eye, and, raising my hand, I found that it came from the silver cigarette-case which he used to carry.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

There was an angry gleam in the hunter’s eye, but he turned on his heel and entered the steerage companion-way, where he remained, looking upward.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

The night was dark with occasional gleams of moonlight between the rents of the heavy clouds that scudded across the sky.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

It was nearly four o’clock when we at last, after passing through the beautiful Stroud Valley, and over the broad gleaming Severn, found ourselves at the pretty little country-town of Ross.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“I suppose history never lies, does it?” said Mr. Dick, with a gleam of hope.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

And beyond that fire, in the circling darkness, Buck could see many gleaming coals, two by two, always two by two, which he knew to be the eyes of great beasts of prey.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)