Glimpse: Definition, Usage & Common Mistakes

Meaning 1：catch a fleeting sight of (glimpse)

glimpse 🔊

/ɡlɪmps/

vt./n.

To see something or someone for a very short time, usually without getting a complete or clear view.

Glimpse meaning illustrated: person catching a fleeting sight through a window

catch a fleeting sight of 🔊

➕

/kætʃ ə ˈfliːtɪŋ saɪt ɒv/

vt./n.

To see or perceive something for a very brief moment, often incompletely or indistinctly.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Middle English 'glimpsen', possibly related to Old English 'glīmian' (to shine) and Middle Low German 'glimsen' (to glimmer).

💡 Mnemonic

Think: A GLIMPSE is like a GLIMMER of sight - a quick, faint look before it disappears.

📖 Example

On my rush through the museum, I only managed to glimpse the famous painting before the tour group moved on. 🔊 During my hurried visit to the museum, I merely caught a fleeting sight of the famous painting before the tour group progressed.

🔗 Collocations

catch a glimpse of – To manage to see something very briefly.

a fleeting glimpse – A very brief and quick sight of something.

glimpse at – To take a quick, brief look at something.

🔄 Synonyms

glance (n./v.) – A brief or hurried look, often without focused attention.

peek (n./v.) – A quick, often secretive look.

sight (n.) – The act of seeing something; can imply a brief viewing.

🚫 Antonyms

stare (v./n.) – To look fixedly or intently at something for a long time.

observe (v.) – To watch carefully and attentively over a period of time.

🌱 Derivatives

glimpse (n.) – A brief, incomplete view or look.

📖 Cultural Story

The word emerged in Middle English, describing a faint, brief flash of light or sight. It is frequently used in literature and cinema to build suspense or reveal a character's momentary perception of something significant, often a clue or a fleeting emotion.