From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
gleam
n 1: an appearance of reflected light [syn: gleaming, glow,
lambency]
2: a flash of light (especially reflected light) [syn:
gleaming, glimmer]
v 1: be shiny, as if wet; "His eyes were glistening" [syn:
glitter, glisten, glint, shine]
2: shine brightly, like a star or a light [syn: glimmer]
3: appear briefly; "A terrible thought gleamed in her mind"
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Gleam \Gleam\, v. t.
To shoot out (flashes of light, etc.).
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Dying eyes gleamed forth their ashy lights. --Shak.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Gleam \Gleam\, v. i. [Cf. OE. glem birdlime, glue, phlegm, and
E. englaimed.] (Falconry)
To disgorge filth, as a hawk.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Gleam \Gleam\, n. [OE. glem, gleam, AS. gl[ae]m, prob. akin to
E. glimmer, and perh. to Gr. ? warm, ? to warm. Cf.
Glitter.]
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1. A shoot of light; a small stream of light; a beam; a ray;
a glimpse.
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Transient unexpected gleams of joi. --Addison.
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At last a gleam
Of dawning light turned thitherward in haste
His [Satan's] traveled steps. --Milton.
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A glimmer, and then a gleam of light. --Longfellow.
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2. Brightness; splendor.
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In the clear azure gleam the flocks are seen.
--Pope.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Gleam \Gleam\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Gleamed; p. pr. & vb. n.
Gleaming.]
1. To shoot, or dart, as rays of light; as, at the dawn,
light gleams in the east.
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2. To shine; to cast light; to glitter.
Syn: To Gleam, Glimmer, Glitter.
Usage: To gleam denotes a faint but distinct emission of
light. To glimmer describes an indistinct and unsteady
giving of light. To glitter imports a brightness that
is intense, but varying. The morning light gleams upon
the earth; a distant taper glimmers through the mist;
a dewdrop glitters in the sun. See Flash.
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