/ glɪmps; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun [ usually sing. ]
1.
glimpse (at sb/sth) | glimpse (of sb/sth) a look at sb/sth for a very short time, when you do not see the person or thing completely :
He caught a glimpse of her in the crowd.
I came up on deck to get my first glimpse of the island.
➡ note at look , see
2.
glimpse (into sth) | glimpse (of sth) a short experience of sth that helps you to understand it :
a fascinating glimpse into life in the ocean
The programme gives us a rare glimpse of a great artist at work.
■ verb [ vn ]
1.
to see sb/sth for a moment, but not very clearly
SYN catch sight of , spot :
He'd glimpsed her through the window as he passed.
2.
to start to understand sth :
Suddenly she glimpsed the truth about her sister.
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (in the sense shine faintly ): probably of Germanic origin; related to Middle High German glimsen , also to glimmer .