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gleam (n.)

Old English glæm "a brilliant light; brightness; splendor, radiance, beauty," from Proto-Germanic *glaimiz (source also of Old Saxon glimo "brightness;" Middle High German glim "spark," gleime "glow-worm;" German glimmen "to glimmer, glow;" Old Norse glja "to shine, glitter, glisten"), from PIE root *ghel- (2) "to shine."

gleam (v.)

early 13c., from gleam (n.). Related: Gleamed; gleaming.

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Definitions of gleam from WordNet
1
gleam (v.)
be shiny, as if wet;
Synonyms: glitter / glisten / glint / shine
gleam (v.)
shine brightly, like a star or a light;
Synonyms: glimmer
gleam (v.)
appear briefly;
A terrible thought gleamed in her mind
2
gleam (n.)
an appearance of reflected light;
Synonyms: gleaming / glow / lambency
gleam (n.)
a flash of light (especially reflected light);
Synonyms: gleaming / glimmer
From wordnet.princeton.edu