(usu + at) to take a quick look
I glanced at my watch
said of the eyes: to move swiftly from one thing to another
(often + off) to strike a surface obliquely in such a way as to go off at an angle
The bullet glanced off the wall
to flash or gleam with intermittent rays of reflected light
brooks glancing in the sun
to make sudden quick movements
dragonflies glancing over the pond
to touch on a subject or refer to it briefly or indirectly
The study glances at the customs of ancient cultures
to cause (something) to glance off a surface
[Middle English glencen, glenchen, perhaps alteration of glenten to move quickly, slide, ultimately from French glacer: see glacé]