gleam

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++gleam1 /ɡliːm/ verb [intransitive] 1 SHINEto shine softly 发微光，闪烁 SYN glimmer His teeth gleamed under his moustache. 他的八字须下面，牙齿晶莹发亮。gleam with The wooden panelling was gleaming with wax polish. 木嵌板上过蜡显得很光亮。► see thesaurus at shine2 SHOW A FEELING OR ATTITUDEif your eyes or face gleam with a feeling, they show it 〔眼睛或脸部〕闪现，表露〔某种情感〕 SYN glintgleam with He laughed, his eyes gleaming with amusement. 他笑了，眼中流露出愉悦的神色。 —gleaming adjective gleaming white walls 光洁明亮的白色墙壁→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

gleam• Grover smiled mysteriously, his gold tooth gleaming.• She went back into school, brow furrowed, eyes gleaming.• The floors gleamed, and the house smelled sweetly of soap and fresh air.• John's face gleamed as he thought of his plan for revenge.• He gleamed blue-yellow in the night.• On either side her head gleamed coiled braids of dark-gold hair, almost pale copper in the subdued light of the room.• The ledges gleamed in the air briefly in the gray light then plummeted as the water gargled and spat all around them.• A Rolls Royce was parked outside, gleaming in the sunshine.• The old walnut dining table gleamed under the chandelier.• On his left was the galley, a tiny kitchen gleaming with stainless steel.gleam with• Her eyes gleamed with amusement.• The engine gleamed with oil.gleam2 noun [countable] 1 LIGHTa small pale light, especially one that shines for a short time 〔尤指短暂的〕微光，闪光 SYN glimmergleam of They saw a sudden gleam of light. 他们看到一道微光一闪而过。2 SHINYthe brightness of something that shines 闪光，闪亮 SYN glintgleam of the gleam of gold and diamonds 金子和钻石闪闪发亮3 EXPRESSION ON somebody'S FACEan emotion or expression that appears for a moment on someone’s face 〔某人脸上〕闪现的光芒gleam of She saw a gleam of amusement in his eyes. 她看到他眼中闪烁着笑意。 Rose looked at me with a furious gleam in her eyes. 罗丝看着我，眼中闪着怒火。4 something is a gleam in somebody’s eye used to say that something is being planned or thought about, but does not yet exist 某事物仅仅是某人的一个构想 In those days, CD-ROMs were still just a gleam in the eye of some young engineer. 那个时候，只读光盘还只是一些年轻工程师心中的构想。

Examples from the Corpus

gleam• Maybe there was going to be a gleam of light this morning.• She remembered him and Agape said quite a gleam came in her eye.• His shoes are spit-shined and the buttons on his jersey gleam.• Sure enough, her eyes could see the faint satiny gleam of his bronze skin.• But he was a sucker for that gleam in her eye.• The whole building was painted the frost white of cake icing and its shine echoed the gleam of the silent Thames behind.• I heard the back door of the house open, and saw the gleam of a lantern.• Now and then the gleam of a flashlight would wink out through the shrubbery.gleam of• I noticed a gleam of gold from his watch.• There was a gleam of happiness on his face.• They saw the gleam of the lighthouse in the distance.Origin gleam2 Old English glæm

gleam1 verbgleam2 nounChinese

shine to Corpus softly

gleam

gleam¹ /ɡliːm/

verb [intransitive]
1. to shine softly
SYN 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
   SYN glint
    gleam with

He laughed, his eyes gleaming with amusement.
—gleaming adjective:

gleaming white walls

THESAURUS

■ to shine by reflecting light
   ▪ sparkle/glitter if something sparkles, it shines with many small bright points when light is on it: The sea sparkled in the sunlight. | Jewels glittered around her neck.
   ▪ gleam to shine by reflecting the light – used especially about smooth clean surfaces, or about someone’s eyes or teeth: The sword’s blade gleamed. | a gleaming sports car | His blue eyes gleamed with amusement.
   ▪ glint to shine with quick flashes of light: The knife glinted in the sunlight.
   ▪ glisten literary to shine – used about wet or oily surfaces. Used especially when saying that someone’s eyes are full of tears, or someone’s skin is covered in sweat: As they were leaving, her eyes glistened with tears. | His forehead was glistening with sweat. | The wet chairs glistened in the afternoon sun.
   ▪ catch the light if something catches the light, it shines because it is reflecting light: Her diamond ring caught the light.

gleam²

noun [countable]

Language: Old English
Origin: glæm

1. a small pale light, especially one that shines for a short time
   SYN glimmer
    gleam of

They saw a sudden gleam of light.
2. the brightness of something that shines
   SYN 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. something 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.

verb,

noun

gleam

BrE

/ɡliːm/

🔊

NAmE

/ɡliːm/

🔊

verb

present simple - I / you / we / they

gleam

BrE

/ɡliːm/

🔊

NAmE

/ɡliːm/

🔊

present simple - he / she / it

gleams

BrE

/ɡliːmz/

🔊

NAmE

/ɡliːmz/

🔊

past simple

gleamed

BrE

/ɡliːmd/

🔊

NAmE

/ɡliːmd/

🔊

past participle

gleamed

BrE

/ɡliːmd/

🔊

NAmE

/ɡliːmd/

🔊

-ing form

gleaming

BrE

/ˈɡliːmɪŋ/

🔊

NAmE

/ˈɡliːmɪŋ/

🔊

[intransitive]

to shine with a pale clear light 发微光；隐约闪光；闪烁

◆The moonlight gleamed on the water. 月光照在水面上泛起粼粼波光。

🔊

◆Her eyes gleamed in the dark. 她的眼睛在黑暗中闪着亮光。

🔊

<titled tranID="29" status="1">shine</titled>gleam ◇ glow ◇ sparkle ◇ glisten ◇ shimmer ◇ glitter ◇ twinkle ◇ glint

These words all mean to produce or reflect light. 以上各词均含发光、反光之义。

shine to produce or reflect light, especially brightly 指发光、反光、照耀：◆The sun was shining and the sky was blue. 阳光灿烂，天空一片蓝。
gleam to shine with a clear bright or pale light, especially a reflected light 指闪烁、隐约闪光、微光反射：◆Moonlight gleamed on the water. 月光照在水面上泛起粼粼波光。
glow (often of sth hot or warm) to produce a dull steady light 常指热的物体发出微弱而稳定的光：◆The end of his cigarette glowed red. 他的烟头发着微弱的红光。
sparkle to shine brightly with small flashes of light 指闪烁、闪耀：◆The diamonds sparkled in the light. 钻石在灯光下闪闪发亮。
glisten (of sth wet) to shine 指湿物闪光、闪亮：◆The road glistened wet after the rain. 雨后的道路润泽闪亮。
shimmer to shine with a soft light that seems to shake slightly 指发出微弱的闪光、闪烁：◆Everything seemed to shimmer in the heat. 在高温下所有的东西都好像在闪光。
glitter to shine brightly with small flashes of reflected light 指闪亮、闪耀：◆The ceiling of the cathedral glittered with gold. 大教堂的天花板金光闪闪。

sparkle or glitter? 用 sparkle 还是 glitter？

There is very little difference in meaning between these two words. Glitter can sometimes suggest a lack of depth, but this is more frequent in the figurative use of glitter as a noun. 以上两词在意义上几乎没有差别。glitter 有时暗指缺乏深度，但这较常在 glitter 作名词时作比喻义时用：◆the superficial glitter of show business 表面上光彩迷人的演艺业 Sparkle is also often used to talk about light reflected off a surface, but things that produce light can also sparkle. * sparkle 亦常用以指物体表面反光，但物体发出亮光也可用 sparkle：◆Stars sparkled in the sky. 星星在天空中闪烁。

twinkle to shine with a light that changes rapidly from bright to faint to bright again 指一明一暗地闪耀、闪烁：◆Stars twinkled in the sky. 星星在天空中闪烁。
glint to give small bright flashes of reflected light 指微微闪光、闪亮、反光：◆The blade of the knife glinted in the darkness. 刀刃在黑暗中亮了亮。