SPARKLE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does sparkle mean? 

• SPARKLE (noun)
  The noun SPARKLE has 3 senses:

1. merriment expressed by a brightness or gleam or animation of countenance

2. the occurrence of a small flash or spark

3. the quality of shining with a bright reflected light

  Familiarity information: SPARKLE used as a noun is uncommon.

• SPARKLE (verb)
  The verb SPARKLE has 4 senses:

1. reflect brightly

2. be lively or brilliant or exhibit virtuosity

3. emit or produce sparks

4. become bubbly or frothy or foaming

  Familiarity information: SPARKLE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SPARKLE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Merriment expressed by a brightness or gleam or animation of countenance

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

light; spark; sparkle; twinkle

Context example:

there's a perpetual twinkle in his eyes

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

verve; vitality (an energetic style)

aspect; expression; face; facial expression; look (the feelings expressed on a person's face)

Derivation:

sparkle (be lively or brilliant or exhibit virtuosity)

sparkly (marked by high spirits or excitement)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The occurrence of a small flash or spark

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

coruscation; glitter; sparkle

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

flash (a sudden intense burst of radiant energy)

Derivation:

sparkle (reflect brightly)

sparkle (emit or produce sparks)

sparkly (having brief brilliant points or flashes of light)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The quality of shining with a bright reflected light

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

glisten; glister; glitter; scintillation; sparkle

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

brightness (the location of a visual perception along a continuum from black to white)

Derivation:

sparkle (reflect brightly)

• SPARKLE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they sparkle    ... he / she / it sparkles   
Past simple: sparkled   
Past participle: sparkled   
-ing form: sparkling   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Reflect brightly

Classified under:

Verbs of raining, snowing, thawing, thundering

Synonyms:

coruscate; scintillate; sparkle

Context example:

Unquarried marble sparkled on the hillside

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

reflect; shine (be bright by reflecting or casting light)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sentence examples:

Lights sparkle on the horizon
The horizon is sparkleing with lights

Derivation:

sparkle (the quality of shining with a bright reflected light)

sparkle (the occurrence of a small flash or spark)

sparkler (diamonds)

sparkling (a rapid change in brightness; a brief spark or flash)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Be lively or brilliant or exhibit virtuosity

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

coruscate; scintillate; sparkle

Context example:

his playing coruscated throughout the concert hall

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

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Derivation:

sparkle (merriment expressed by a brightness or gleam or animation of countenance)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Emit or produce sparks

Classified under:

Verbs of raining, snowing, thawing, thundering

Synonyms:

spark; sparkle

Context example:

A high tension wire, brought down by a storm, can continue to spark

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

emit; give off; give out (give off, send forth, or discharge; as of light, heat, or radiation, vapor, etc.)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

sparkle (the occurrence of a small flash or spark)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Become bubbly or frothy or foaming

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

effervesce; fizz; foam; form bubbles; froth; sparkle

Context example:

sparkling water

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

bubble (form, produce, or emit bubbles)

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

lather (form a lather)

seethe (foam as if boiling)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

 Context examples 

Romance will sparkle brightest in the first part of the month, while Venus will still be in Capricorn, until December 19.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

"Now she's beginning to marm it. Isn't it jolly to hear her?" said Laurie to the fire, and the fire glowed and sparkled as if it quite agreed.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Still, his eyes were sharp and sparkling, and he soon showed himself to be a clever little fellow, who always knew well what he was about.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

There was a ring of triumph in his voice, and his eyes, clear blue this morning as the sea, were sparkling with light.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Martin's eyes were sparkling, but he kept control of himself.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Mrs. Bennet's eyes sparkled with pleasure, and she was eagerly calling out, while her daughter read, Well, Jane, who is it from? What is it about? What does he say?

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

“Snapped, Sir John!” cried the prince, with an angry sparkle in his dark eyes.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"Oh that they would!" cried Marianne, her eyes sparkling with animation, and her cheeks glowing with the delight of such imaginary happiness.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

Boy Jim’s dark eyes sparkled with pleasure.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It was shaped like a chair and sparkled with gems, as did everything else.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)