[glass] n, often attrib [ME glas, fr. OE glaes; akin to OE geolu yellow--more at yellow] (bef. 12c) 1: any of various amorphous materials formed from a melt by cooling to rigidity without crystallization: as a: a usu. transparent or translucent material consisting esp. of a mixture of silicates b: a material (as obsidian) produced by fast cooling of magma
2. a: something made of glass: as (1): tumbler; also: glassware (2): mirror (3): barometer (4): hourglass (5): backboard b (1): an optical instrument or device that has one or more lenses and is designed to aid in the viewing of objects not readily seen (2): field glasses, binoculars--usu. used in pl. c pl: a device used to correct defects of vision or to protect the eyes that consists typically of a pair of glass or plastic lenses and the frame by which they are held in place--called also eyeglasses, spectacles
3: the quantity held by a glass container
4: fiberglass -- glass.ful n -- glass.less adj
[2]glass vt (14c) 1 a: to provide with glass: glaze 1 b: to enclose, case, or wall with glass "the sunroom was ~ed in"
2: to make glassy 3 a: reflect b: to see mirrored
4: to look at through an optical instrument (as binoculars) ~ vi: [1]glaze 1