I. ˈglē noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English glēo entertainment, fun, music; akin to Old Norse glȳ joy, Greek chleuē joke, Russian glum
1. : high-spirited joy typically accompanied by exuberant outward display
dancing with glee
shouting with boyish glee
a gasp of surprised glee — Newsweek
he appeared to be almost choking with glee — Rex Ingamells
and often mixed with or wholly prompted by maliciously delighted and exultant satisfaction over another's misfortune, predicament, or failure
rubbing their hands in glee over his discomfiture
grinning with diabolical glee
it betrayed the glee felt by the meanspirited when they see people who do not deserve humiliation forced to suffer it — Rebecca West
: delighted or triumphant happiness : rejoicing , gladness , mirth , merriment
2. : an unaccompanied song for three or more solo usually male voices that was especially popular in the 18th and 19th centuries
II. intransitive verb
( gleed ; gleed ; gleeing ; glees )
Etymology: Middle English gleen, gleyen, glien
1. chiefly Scotland
a. : squint
b. : to take a sidelong look
2. chiefly Scotland : to take a look with one eye ; specifically : aim
III. noun
( -s )
1. chiefly Scotland
a. : squint
b. : a sidelong look
2. chiefly Scotland : a look with one eye ; specifically : aim
IV. adjective
chiefly Scotland : squint-eyed