glimpse
A glimpse is a quick look or a brief moment when we can see or understand something. It's like catching a flash of light.
When we talk about a glimpse, it usually means that we've seen something for just a second, but it was enough to get our attention. For example, if you're walking through the park and suddenly spot a bird flying away, you might say you caught a glimpse of its bright colors as it disappeared into the trees. If someone is trying to describe a place they haven't visited before, they might talk about getting a glimpse of how beautiful it is from a picture or video. The word can also be used more figuratively, like when we get a glimpse of our future possibilities through a conversation with someone or an idea that comes to us suddenly.
How common is "glimpse"?
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.
noun
A brief look, glance, or peek.
Example: I only got a glimpse of the car, so I can tell you the colour but not the registration number.
verb
To see or view briefly or incompletely.
Example: I have only begun to glimpse the magnitude of the problem.
Real examples of "glimpse" in context
