gleam
gb/ɡlˈim/ us/ɡlˈim/
B1
Englisch
~ 4400
Bedeutungen
0 Bedeutungen
Nomen
B1
entity
1
A small, bright flash of light
A small or quick light that you can see for a short time.
Verwendungsmuster:
a gleam of [light/hope]
Häufiger Fehler:
Learners sometimes confuse 'gleam' with 'beam'. A 'beam' is usually a larger, more directed light, while 'gleam' is small and brief.
Synonyme
glimmer (Suggests a weaker or softer light than 'gleam'.)
Antonyme
darkness (The complete absence of light.)
Wortverbindungen
a gleam of light
|a faint gleam
|catch a gleam
Themen
vision
|nature
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Beispiele
- A gleam of sunlight shone through the clouds.
- She saw the gleam of a flashlight in the distance.
- The knife had a sharp gleam under the kitchen light.
Beispiele für Lernende
- I saw a gleam in the dark.
- The metal had a bright gleam.
- There was a small gleam from the candle.
Verb
B1
action
2
To shine briefly or reflect light
To shine for a short time or to give off small flashes of light.
Verwendungsmuster:
[something] gleams in/under [light]
Häufiger Fehler:
Learners may use 'gleam' for continuous strong light; better to use 'shine' in that case.
Synonyme
shine ('Shine' is more general and can last longer; 'gleam' suggests briefness or reflection.)
Antonyme
dull (To lose brightness or shine.)
Wortverbindungen
eyes gleam
|floor gleamed
|gleaming surface
Themen
vision
|nature
|core_vocabulary
Beispiele
- Her eyes gleamed with excitement.
- The polished floor gleamed in the sunlight.
- The sword gleamed under the torchlight.
Beispiele für Lernende
- The car gleamed in the sun.
- His shoes gleamed after cleaning.
- The water gleamed in the moonlight.
Nomen
B2
event
3
A quick sign of emotion in eyes/face
A quick look in someone's eyes that shows how they feel.
Verwendungsmuster:
a gleam of [emotion] in [someone's] eyes
Häufiger Fehler:
Learners might confuse this with the physical light meaning; here it is metaphorical and emotional.
Synonyme
sparkle ('Sparkle' can suggest liveliness or cheer, while 'gleam' can carry any emotion.)
Antonyme
blankness (A lack of visible feeling or expression.)
Wortverbindungen
a gleam of joy
|a mischievous gleam
|gleam of anger
Themen
emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Beispiele
- There was a mischievous gleam in his eyes.
- She caught the gleam of pride on his face.
- His eyes held a gleam of hope.
Beispiele für Lernende
- I saw a happy gleam in her eyes.
- He had a strange gleam in his eyes.
- There was a soft gleam of love in her face.
Grammatik
Grundform
gleam
IPA
GB/ɡlˈim/
US/ɡlˈim/
Silben & Betonung
gleam (1 Silbe)
Stress on 1st syllable (gleam)
Wortformen
Noun
- Base: gleam
- Plural: gleams
Verb
- Base: gleam
- 3rd Person Singular: gleams
- Present Participle: gleaming
- Past: gleamed
Wortfamilie
Forms
gleams
noun
gleaming
verb
gleamed
verb
Ausdrücke
a gleam in someone's eye
1/ə ɡlˈim ˈɪn sˈʌmwˌʌnz ˈaɪ/
idiom
An unrealized idea or plan
Something that is only an idea or hope and has not happened yet.
Beispiele
- Back then, the project was just a gleam in her eye.
- Twenty years ago, smartphones were just a gleam in designers’ eyes.
gleam of hope
1/ɡlˈim əv hˈoʊp/
fixed phrase
A small sign of possible success
A small sign that something good might happen.
Beispiele
- The rescue team’s arrival gave them a gleam of hope.
- Even after the defeat, there was still a gleam of hope for victory.