A Glance Was Originally a Blow That Slid Off
A glance is a quick look. The word first described a weapon glancing off armour, and the eye sense came later.
A glance is a brief look. The original meaning was physical: a blow or missile that struck a surface obliquely and slid off, which survives in *a glancing blow*. The visual sense grew from the same idea — the eye touching something briefly and moving on rather than resting on it.
- A brief look. *A quick glance.*
- To look briefly. *Glance at the clock.*
- To strike obliquely. *The ball glanced off the post.*
- At a glance — immediately visible. *Clear at a glance.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | glance | A sidelong glance. |
| Plural | glances | Exchanged glances. |
| Verb | glance | Glance up. |
| Adjective | glancing | A glancing blow. |
| Related | glint | A glint of light. |
How it is used in a sentence
- He glanced at his watch.Looked briefly.
- The shot glanced off the crossbar.Struck obliquely.
- Everything is clear at a glance.Immediately apparent.
Words for looking
- Glance — a brief look
- Glimpse — a partial or fleeting sight
- Peek — a quick look, often furtive
- Stare — a fixed prolonged look
- Glare — an angry stare
From Middle English *glacen*, to strike obliquely, from Old French *glacier*, to slip, from a root related to *glacier* and ice.
Glance or glimpse?
A glance is a look you choose to take. A glimpse is a brief sight you happen to get.
Are glance and glacier related?
Yes, through a French verb meaning to slip. Both connect to the idea of sliding on ice.