What does glimpse mean?
Word: Glimpse
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Glimpse means a very quick look at something.
Synonyms: peek
How do you spell glimpse?
Syllables: glimpse
Tricky part: The p after the m slips past very quickly when you say the word, so students often drop it.
Watch out for: glimse, glimspe
Memory tip: Close your lips for the m, then let them open with a tiny pop. That pop is the letter people lose.
Glimpse in a sentence
Example 1: I caught a glimpse of a kingfisher as it flew over the pond.
Example 2: From the plane, we had a glimpse of the Alps through the clouds.
Example 3: Fans waited for hours for a glimpse of the cricket team.
Fun Fact
Before it meant a quick look, glimpse meant to shine faintly, and it is thought to be related to glimmer.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell Spies
Choose the pair which has a spelling error:
a) sprint : dash
b) stroll : walk
c) glimpce : peep
d) chuckle : laugh
Show answer
c) glimpce : peep. Each pair has two words of close meaning, but one pair uses the wrong letter for the hissing sound near the end.
Sound Check
Which word does not rhyme with glimpse?
a) limps
b) shrimps
c) chimps
d) climbs
Show answer
d) climbs. Climbs has a long i and its b is silent, so it sounds nothing like the other three.
Spell Probe
Fill the blanks with 'i' and 'e'. Which option gives the meaning of that word?
1. gl__mps__ 2. c__stl__ 3. h__rdl__ 4. p__bbl__
a) a large old stone building with thick walls
b) a frame that runners jump over in a race
c) a sight that lasts only a moment
d) a small smooth stone from a beach
Show answer
c) a sight that lasts only a moment. Only the first word takes these two letters; the others need an a, a u or an e in the first gap.
Jumble Tumble
Choose the correct sequence of the jumbled letters to form a meaningful word:
pmeglis 1234567
a) 1465327
b) 5163724
c) 4562173
d) 4617235
Show answer
c) 4562173. Following the digits turns these seven letters back into the word for a quick look.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Sofia caught a glimpse of a film star's car. What could she probably not do?
a) say that it had passed
b) read its number plate
c) guess where it was going
d) tell her friends about it
Show answer
b) read its number plate
2. From which place would you most likely get only a glimpse of the sea?
a) a chair on the sandy beach
b) the far end of a long pier
c) the open deck of a ferry
d) a fast train between hills
Show answer
d) a fast train between hills
