Glean vs. Gleam

Glean vs. Gleam — Is There a Difference?
ADVERTISEMENT

Difference Between Glean and Gleam

Gleanverb

To collect (grain, grapes, etc.) left behind after the main harvest or gathering.

Gleamnoun

a small or indistinct shaft or stream of light.

Gleanverb

To gather what is left in (a field or vineyard).

to glean a field

Gleamnoun

a glimpse or hint; an indistinct sign of something.

The rescue workers preserved a gleam of optimism that they might still survive.

Gleanverb

To gather information in small amounts, with implied difficulty, bit by bit.

Gleamnoun

brightness or shininess; splendor.

ADVERTISEMENT

Gleanverb

To frugally accumulate resources from low-yield contexts.

He gleaned a living from newspaper work for a few months, but in the summer went to a fishing village […] where […] he wrote his great historical drama, "Master Olof." (Translators Edith and Warner Oland on author August Strindberg.)

Gleamverb

To shine; to glitter; to glisten.

Gleannoun

A collection made by gleaning.

Gleamverb

To be briefly but strongly apparent.

Gleanverb

gather, as of natural products;

harvest the grapes

Gleamverb

To disgorge filth, as a hawk.

ADVERTISEMENT

Gleamnoun

an appearance of reflected light

Gleamnoun

a flash of light (especially reflected light)

Gleamverb

be shiny, as if wet;

His eyes were glistening

Gleamverb

shine brightly, like a star or a light

Gleamverb

appear briefly;

A terrible thought gleamed in her mind