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Gene93 Posted 11 years ago
Vocabulary
to glimmer
Hello,
I came across a few examples: "The camp fire glimmered in the distance." and "The lights of the village were glimmering in the distance." Macmillan dictionary says "to shine with a soft weak light that is not steady." This sounds like "flicker" to me. Obviously, they are different. How do you normally use "glimmer"?
I came across a few examples: "The camp fire glimmered in the distance." and "The lights of the village were glimmering in the distance." Macmillan dictionary says "to shine with a soft weak light that is not steady." This sounds like "flicker" to me. Obviously, they are different. How do you normally use "glimmer"?
Top answer
"Flicker" may be used for small movements of things other than light. So your eyelids may flicker, but they can't glimmer. At least, mine can't.
- "Flicker" may be used for small movements of things other than light.
- So your eyelids may flicker, but they can't glimmer.
- At least, mine can't.
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6 Answers
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"Flicker" may be used for small movements of things other than light. So your eyelids may flicker, but they can't glimmer. At least, mine can't.
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How do you normally use "glimmer" in collocation with light/s?
Thank you
Thank you
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In the two sentences you quoted the word "glimmer" is used to emphasize that the fires were viewed from a long way off at night, at which distance they were barely visible and gave off a faint light only. "Flicker" could also be used in the two sentences. The difference between the two words is very subtle. "Glimmer" is the word with friendlier implications: the people in the camp and the vill
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As the examples both showed, the idea of lights that appear in the distance is a good time to use glimmer.
When the power goes off and on, even very bright lights can flicker. Glimmer holds the idea of being faint.
When the power goes off and on, even very bright lights can flicker. Glimmer holds the idea of being faint.
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Thank you, Barbara. Yes, I noticed. Cambridge Dictionary also says "a glimmering candle". I wonder what that would suggest to me. Maybe the flame's about to go out. (It gives me that idea) The meaning of flicker is clear. If it's windy, a candle (it's flame) or a fire might flicker, a light on a charging unit might flicker when the process is complete, etc. Is this how you would understand "a glim
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I had not thought before about the "weak light" aspect of "glimmer" but it is definitely an important part of it. A single candle will always have rather weak light, and often the flame is not steady, even when nothing is disturbing it. I think of "flicker" as a more violent motion. A candle in the wind might flicker, but otherwise still may glimmer.
Note "its" not "it's" in your post.
Note "its" not "it's" in your post.
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