glide

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To move softly, smoothly, or effortlessly.

   The river glideth at his own sweet will:

2. 2
   verb

   To fly unpowered, as of an aircraft. Also relates to gliding birds and flying fish.

   The tide was out, and we drew up amid the strong bracing smell of seaweed, with gulls screeching, wheeling around, and gliding on the wind.

3. 3
   noun

   The act of gliding.

   1934, Ernest Bramah, The Bravo of London With stealthy glide he approached the door of his master's room, listened, cautiously peeped in, then entered.

4. 4
   noun

   the activity of flying a glider

5. 5
   noun

   the act of moving smoothly along a surface while remaining in contact with it

6. 6
   noun

   a vowellike sound that serves as a consonant

7. 7
   verb

   move smoothly and effortlessly

8. 8
   verb

   cause to move or pass silently, smoothly, or imperceptibly

Etymology

From Middle English gliden, from Old English glīdan, from Proto-West Germanic *glīdan, from Proto-Germanic *glīdaną, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰleydʰ-. Cognate with West Frisian glide, glydzje, Low German glieden, Dutch glijden, German gleiten, Norwegian Nynorsk gli, Danish glide, Swedish glida, Finnish liitää.