USAGE: glimpse and glance Re: USAGE: hate = jealous (was: Re: YAPT: Dutch ij and ui)

Carsten Becker wrote:

>Hey!
>
>First, thank you for your pronounciation-related explanations!
>And, with "glimpse" I meant "a quick look", just to clarify. I thought
>this is what "glimpse" means? The decision which preposition you use
>with which word can be pretty nasty as a learner of English. It's just
>like in German, in that which case to use with transitive verbs ;)
>
>
[snip]

>
>
>-- Carsten
>
>
'glimpse' means something is in your field of vision for an instant. .
It does not refer to how long you you direct your sight in a particular
direction.  For example: You are staring at some buildings, a bird
passes very fast before your eyes. You catch a glimpse of it

Though glimpse can be a verb,  we generally use it as a noun: catch/get
a glimpse of

'glance' means 1) directing your sight for an instant towards something.
For example: you are reading, you glance at the clock on the wall, you
go back to reading.  It can be followed by several prepositions: at,
towards, up,  a/round, etc.  2) to read  something very  quickly:  She
glanced over the guest list to see if she had missed anyone.  It can
take at, over, through, etc.

glance can be a noun: give, take, shoot, throw a glance.  Expressions:
'exchange glances' =  look at each other quickly.  If you know something
'at a glance' you know it as soon as you see it. 'at first glance'  when
you first look at something:  At first glance the streets seemed empty.

David Barrow