Gleam

Pronunciation: /ɡliːm/

Definitions of gleam

noun a faint or brief light or reflection

Example Sentences

A1 The sun's gleam reflected off the water.

A2 She noticed a gleam of excitement in his eyes.

B1 The diamond necklace sparkled with a brilliant gleam.

B2 The detective saw a suspicious gleam in the suspect's eyes.

C1 The gleam of hope in her heart kept her going during difficult times.

C2 The artist captured the subtle gleam of light on the surface of the painting.

verb to shine brightly, especially with reflected light

Example Sentences

A1 The sun gleamed off the water, making it sparkle.

A2 She gleamed with joy when she saw her family after a long time.

B1 The polished silverware gleamed in the candlelight.

B2 Her eyes gleamed with intelligence as she discussed the topic.

C1 The diamond necklace gleamed on her neck, catching everyone's attention.

C2 The city skyline gleamed in the distance as the sun began to set.

Examples of gleam in a Sentence

formal The sunlight caught the diamond, causing it to gleam brilliantly.

informal Her eyes gleamed with excitement when she saw the surprise party.

slang That new car gleams like nobody's business.

figurative His smile had a gleam of mischief in it.

Grammatical Forms of gleam

• past tense: gleamed
• plural: gleams
• comparative: more gleaming
• superlative: most gleaming
• present tense: gleam
• future tense: will gleam
• perfect tense: has gleamed
• continuous tense: is gleaming
• singular: gleam
• positive degree: gleam
• infinitive: to gleam
• gerund: gleaming
• participle: gleaming

Origin and Evolution of gleam

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'gleam' originated from the Old English word 'glæm' which meant brightness or light.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'gleam' has retained its original meaning of a faint or brief light, but has also come to be used metaphorically to describe something that shines or stands out in a subtle way.