▪ I. gliff, n. Now only Sc. or north.
(glɪf)
[f. gliff v.]
1. A passing view; a glance, glimpse.
| 1570 Levins Manip. 117/29 A Glyffe, respectus. 1730 T. Boston Mem. App. 45 But the first gliff as we call it is the worst. a 1743 Relph in Songs & Ballads Cumberld. (1866) 16 Here it was..That first I gat a gliff o' Betty's feace. 1802 R. Anderson Cumberld. Ball. 52 My fadder he just gat a gliff on't. 1845 G. Murray Islaford 108 'Twas a smothering gliff and a thought on thee. 1882 Lanc. Gloss., Gliff (N. Lanc.), a glimpse, a transient sight. |
b. A look or appearance that reminds one (of a person).
| 1886 Stevenson Kidnapped vi. 50 And yet ye have a kind of gliff of Mr. Alexander. |
2. A short space of time; a moment.
| 1816 Scott Old Mort. xix, Where is Edith? Gone to her room..and laid down in her bed for a gliff. 1820 ― Monast. xxvi, I gaed a gliff up the burn. 1824 ― Redgauntlet ch. xi, Bide a gliff. |
b. A quick movement; a whiff.
| 1820 Edin. Mag. May 423 The mirk came in gliffs—in gliffs the mirk gade. |
3. A sudden fright; a scare.
| 1732 Ramsay Sc. Prov. (1797) 82 There came never sic a gliff to a daw's heart. 18.. Rhymes in Proc. Berw. Nat. Club I. No. 5. 149 The browster gied us a' a gliff Wi' his barley bree. 1816 Scott Antiq. xxvii, I, like a fule, gat a gliff wi' seeing the lights and the riders. 1825 Blackw. Mag. XVII. 669/2 Oh, I was in a terrible gliff! 1855 Robinson Whitby Gloss. s.v., I gat a sare gliff. |
▪ II. gliff, v. Now only Sc. or north.
(glɪf)
Also 3 gluffe (y), 4 gleffe, 4, 6 glyff(e.
[Of obscure origin. Sense 1 is akin to that of Du. glippen and its cognates (see glibbery a.), but the form presents difficulty. Sense 3 may be a distinct word, perh. cogn. with gloppen. The pa. tense glyfte may belong to glift v.]
† 1. To slip, glance aside; fig. to make a slip in reading.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 46 Ȝif ȝe þurh ȝemeleaste gluffeð [v.r. gliffen] of wordes. c 1290 [see glide v. 5]. c 1330 Arth. & Merl. (Kölbing) 8990 He wold his nek smiten eft, & þe dint a litel gleft. |
† 2. a. To look quickly, to give a glance; also quasi-trans., to gliff one's eyes. b. To shine suddenly; to make a flash. Obs.
| a. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 3399 Atte passage glyfte þey þer eyene [v.r. þei glift Ine]. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 849 Þe god man glyfte with þat glam & gloped for noyse. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 2265 Bot Gawayn on þat giserne glyfte hym bysyde. c 1420 Anturs of Arth. xxviii, He gliffed [Thornton MS. glyfte] vp with his eighen on þat burde bright. c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 7310 That saw [Clarionas] and glift, The blade she perceiued bright. 1570 Levins Manip. 117/31 To Glyffe, respicere. |
| b. a 1400–50 Alexander 4599 Garlands ne no gay gere to glyffe in ȝour eȝen. |
3. trans. To frighten. Cf. agliff and gloff.
| 1823 E. Logan St. Johnstoun III. 144 Ye hae gliffed us amaist out o' our very senses. 1863 Tynside Songs, Clock Fyece 2 Noo lisen me, An' thou shall hear what's gliffed me see. 1891 Newcastle Daily Jrnl. 13 Mar. 5/5, I only meant to gliff him. |