gleam

gleam¹ [gli:m] v

1.) to shine softly

= ↑glimmer

▪ His teeth gleamed under his moustache.

gleam with

▪ The wooden panelling was gleaming with wax polish.

2.) if your eyes or face gleam with a feeling, they show it

= ↑glint gleam with

▪ He laughed, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

>gleaming[i] adj

▪ gleaming white walls

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WORD CHOICE: gleam, glint, glisten, glitter, glow

All these words mean 'to shine' but are used in slightly different ways.

gleam is used especially of smooth clean surfaces that shine : She polished the car until it gleamed. | gleaming white teeth

glint means to shine brightly with a small flash of light. It is used especially of shiny metals : Her jewellery glinted in the sun.

glisten is used of wet or oily surfaces that shine : The wet streets glistened.

glitter means to shine brightly with many small flashes of light : the glittering frost

glow means to shine with a warm soft steady light. It is often used of things that give off heat : The coal in the fireplace was still glowing.

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gleam ²

gleam² n

[: Old English; Origin: glAm]

1.) a small pale light, especially one that shines for a short time

= ↑glimmer gleam of

▪ They saw a sudden gleam of light.

2.) the brightness of something that shines

= ↑glint gleam of

▪ the gleam of gold and diamonds

3.) an emotion or expression that appears for a moment on someone's face

gleam of

▪ She saw a gleam of amusement in his eyes.

▪ Rose looked at me with a furious gleam in her eyes.

4.) sth is a gleam in sb's eye

used to say that something is being planned or thought about, but does not yet exist

▪ In those days, CD-ROMs were still just a gleam in the eye of some young engineer.