shimmer, v. i. [OE. schimeren, AS. scimerian; akin to scīmian, scīman, to glitter, D. schemeren, G. schimmern, Dan. skimre, Sw. skimra, AS. scīma a light, brightness, Icel. skīma, Goth. skeima a torch, a lantern, and E. shine. Shine, v. i.].

To shine with a tremulous or intermittent light; to shine faintly; to gleam; to glisten; to glimmer. [1913 Webster]

"The shimmering glimpses of a stream." [1913 Webster]

shimmer, n.

A faint, tremulous light; a gleaming; a glimmer. [1913 Webster]

"TWo silver lamps, fed with perfumed oil, diffused . . . a trembling twilight-seeming shimmer through the quiet apartment." [1913 Webster]

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

shimmer, v. & n.
--v.intr. shine with a tremulous or faint diffused light.
--n. such a light.

Derivative

shimmeringly adv. shimmery adj.

Etymology

OE scymrian f. Gmc: cf. SHINE

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THESAURUS

shimmer

blink, blinking, coruscate, coruscation, firefly, flicker, gleam, glimmer, glimmering, glint, glisk, glisten, glister, glitter, glittering, gloss, glow, glowworm, light, ripple, scintilla, scintillate, scintillation, shimmering, shine, spangle, spark, sparking, sparkle, stroboscopic light, tinsel, twinkle, twinkling

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ROGET THESAURUS

shimmer

Light

N light, ray, beam, stream, gleam, streak, pencil, sunbeam, moonbeam, aurora, day, sunshine, light of day, light of heaven, moonlight, starlight, sunlight, daylight, broad daylight, noontide light, noontide, noonday, noonday sun, glow, glimmering, glint, play of light, flood of light, phosphorescence, lambent flame, flush, halo, glory, nimbus, aureola, spark, scintilla, facula, sparkling, emication, scintillation, flash, blaze, coruscation, fulguration, flame, lightning, levin, ignis fatuus, luster, sheen, shimmer, reflexion, reflection, gloss, tinsel, spangle, brightness, brilliancy, splendor, effulgence, refulgence, fulgor, fulgidity, dazzlement, resplendence, transplendency, luminousness, luminosity, lucidity, renitency, nitency, radiance, radiation, irradiation, illumination, actinic rays, actinism, Roentgen-ray, Xray, photography, heliography, photometer, optics, photology, photometry, dioptrics, catoptrics, chiaroscuro, clairobscur, clear obscure, breadth, light and shade, black and white, tonality, reflection, refraction, dispersion, refractivity, shining, luminous, luminiferous, lucid, lucent, luculent, lucific, luciferous, light, lightsome, bright, vivid, splendent, nitid, lustrous, shiny, beamy, scintillant, radiant, lambent, sheen, sheeny, glossy, burnished, glassy, sunny, orient, meridian, noonday, tide, cloudless, clear, unclouded, unobscured, gairish, garish, resplendent, transplendent, refulgent, effulgent, fulgid, fulgent, relucent, splendid, blazing, in a blaze, ablaze, rutilant, meteoric, phosphorescent, aglow, bright as silver, light as day, bright as day, light as noonday, bright as noonday, bright as the sun at noonday, actinic, photogenic, graphic, heliographic, heliophagous, a day for gods to stoop and men to soar, dark with excessive bright.

VB shine, glow, glitter, glister, glisten, twinkle, gleam, flare, flare up, glare, beam, shimmer, glimmer, flicker, sparkle, scintillate, coruscate, flash, blaze, be bright, reflect light, daze, dazzle, bedazzle, radiate, shoot out beams, fulgurate, clear up, brighten, lighten, enlighten, levin, light, light up, irradiate, shine upon, give out a light, hang out a light, cast light upon, cast light in, throw light upon, throw light in, shed light upon, shed luster upon, illume, illumine, illuminate, relume, strike a light, kindle.

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