Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
GLANCE
I. verb (glanced; glancing)
Etymology: Middle English glencen, glenchen
Date: 15th century
intransitive verb to strike a surface obliquely so as to go off at an angle ,
2. to make sudden quick movements , to flash or gleam with quick intermittent rays of light , to touch on a subject or refer to it briefly or indirectly ,
4. to move swiftly from one thing to another, to take a quick look at something , transitive verb
1. archaic to take a quick look at, to catch a glimpse of, to give an oblique path of direction to:, to throw or shoot so that the object glances from a surface, to aim (as an innuendo) indirectly ; insinuate , glancer noun
II. noun
Date: 1503
1. a quick intermittent flash or gleam, a sudden quick movement,
2. a rapid oblique movement, a deflected impact or blow,
3. a swift movement of the eyes, a quick or cursory look,
4. archaic a brief satirical reference to something ; gibe , allusion