1. v. & n.
--v.
1. intr. (often foll. by down, up, etc.) cast a momentary look (glanced up at the sky).
2 intr. (often foll. by off) (esp. of a weapon) glide or bounce (off an object).
3 intr. (usu. foll. by over, off, from) (of talk or a talker) pass quickly over a subject or subjects (glanced over the question of payment).
4 intr. (of a bright object or light) flash, dart, or gleam; reflect (the sun glanced off the knife).
5 tr. (esp. of a weapon) strike (an object) obliquely.
6 tr. Cricket deflect (the ball) with an oblique stroke.
--n.
1. (usu. foll. by at, into, over, etc.) a brief look (took a glance at the paper; threw a glance over her shoulder).
2 a a flash or gleam (a glance of sunlight). b a sudden movement producing this.
3 a swift oblique movement or impact.
4 Cricket a stroke with the bat's face turned slantwise to deflect the ball.
Phrases and idioms:
at a glance immediately upon looking. glance at
1. give a brief look at.
2 make a passing and usu. sarcastic allusion to. glance one's eye (foll. by at, over, etc.) look at briefly (esp. a document). glance over (or through) read cursorily.
Derivatives:
glancingly adv.
Etymology: ME glence etc., prob. a nasalized form of obs. glace in the same sense, f. OF glacier to slip: see GLACIS 2. n. any lustrous sulphide ore (copper glance; lead glance).
Etymology: G Glanz lustre