glancingly
Definition
Adverb: "Glancingly" means in a manner that involves a brief, indirect, or superficial contact or attention. It describes an action performed quickly, often without full focus or commitment, as if only brushing against something.
Usage Examples
- (She looked at it briefly and without deep attention.)
- (He referred to it in a passing, superficial way.)
- (The ball struck him with a brief, indirect contact, not a full blow.)
Advanced Usage
- "to touch glancingly on a subject": to refer to or discuss a topic in a very brief and superficial manner.
- The lecture touched glancingly on the history of the region, focusing instead on modern developments. (The lecture mentioned the history only in passing.)
Variants and Related Words
- Glance (verb/noun): a brief or quick look.
- He took a glance at the clock. (A quick look.)
- Glancing (adjective): striking or hitting at an angle; not directly.
- A glancing blow to the shoulder caused little pain. (An indirect hit.)
Synonyms
- Briefly: in a short or concise manner.
- Superficially: in a way that lacks depth or thoroughness.
- Passingly: in a manner that is quick and not focused.
Related Idioms
- "catch a glimpse": to see something briefly and incompletely.
- I caught a glimpse of the celebrity through the crowd. (I saw him/her only for a moment.)
- "in passing": while going by; without dwelling on something.
- He mentioned the issue only in passing. (He referred to it briefly and without detail.)