/ glɑːs; NAmE glæs/ noun , verb
■ noun
TRANSPARENT SUBSTANCE
1.
[ U ] a hard, usually transparent, substance used, for example, for making windows and bottles :
a sheet / pane of glass
frosted / toughened glass
a glass bottle / dish / roof
I cut myself on a piece of broken glass .
The vegetables are grown under glass (= in a greenhouse ) .
—see also cut glass , plate glass , stained glass , glazier
FOR DRINKING
2.
[ C ] (often in compounds) a container made of glass, used for drinking out of :
a sherry glass
a wine glass
3.
[ C ] the contents of a glass :
a glass of sherry / wine / water, etc.
He drank three whole glasses.
GLASS OBJECTS
4.
[ U ] objects made of glass :
We keep all our glass and china in this cupboard.
She has a fine collection of Bohemian glass.
ON WATCH / PICTURE
5.
[ sing. ] a protecting cover made of glass on a watch, picture or photograph frame, fire alarm , etc. :
In case of emergency, break the glass and press the button.
FOR EYES
6.
glasses ( NAmE also eye·glasses ) (also old-fashioned or formal spec·tacles , informal specs especially in BrE ) [ pl. ] two lenses in a frame that rests on the nose and ears. People wear glasses in order to be able to see better or to protect their eyes from bright light :
a pair of glasses
dark glasses
I wear glasses for driving.
—see also field glasses , magnifying glass , sunglasses
MIRROR
7.
[ C , usually sing. ] ( old-fashioned ) a mirror
—see also looking glass
BAROMETER
8.
the glass [ sing. ] a barometer
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IDIOMS
see people noun , raise verb
■ verb
[ vn ] ( BrE , informal ) to hit sb in the face with a glass
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PHRASAL VERBS
- glass sth in / over
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English glæs , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch glas and German Glas .