Definitions and examples of Ways of Looking

to blink	to frown	to gaze	to glance	to glare
to glimpse	to peep	to peer	to stare	to wink

Meaning	To close and then open both of your eyes quickly once or several times
Examples	Actors in films have to teach themselves not to blink very often. You've got something in your eye - try blinking your eyes a few times.

Meaning	To bring your eyebrows together so that there are lines on your face above your eyes to show that you are annoyed or worried
Examples	It takes more muscles to frown (43) than it does to smile (17). She frowned as she stared at the blank piece of paper, wondering what to write. The teacher frowned at the class of noisy children but it had no effect. She frowned when I mentioned his name

Meaning	To look for a long time at someone or something or in a particular direction
Examples	They gazed into each other's eyes. to look (at something or someone) for a long time, esp. in surprise, admiration or because you are thinking about something else Annette gazed admiringly at Warren as he spoke. Every day for a week Laura would sit gazing at the painting. He spends hours gazing out of the window when he should be working.

Meaning	A quick short look, to look somewhere for a short time
Examples	He glanced at his watch. He could tell at a glance (=saw immediately) that something was wrong. At first glance (=When first looking) I thought it was a dog (but I was mistaken). She glanced around/round the room to see who was there. He glanced up from his book as I passed. Just glance over/through this letter and see if it's alright.

Meaning	To look at someone in an angry way
Examples	She glared at him and then left the room. She glared angrily at everyone. He glared round the room. We could see the child's eyes glaring at us.

Meaning	To see something or someone for a very short time
Examples	She glimpsed him out of the corner of her eye. I thought I glimpsed Meg at the station this morning. We glimpsed the ruined abbey from the windows of the train. Observers glimpsed the shooting star as it shot through the sky. Signs that the economy is improving are beginning to be glimpsed

Meaning

(to have) A quick and often secret look

Examples

1 peep at/ through/out, etc to look at something for a short time, often when you do not want other people to see you
She peeped at them through the fence.
We peeped at the children through a hole in the fence.

2 peep through/over/out from, etc to appear but not be seen completely
The sun peeped out from behind the clouds.
I saw her peeping through the curtains/into the room.

(Slang Note) A peeping Tom is a man who tries to secretly watch women when they are taking off their clothes or wearing no clothes.
The police said they had had reports of a peeping Tom.

Meaning	To look carefully or with difficulty
Examples	She peered at me over her glasses. When no one answered the door, she peered through the window to see if anyone was there. The driver was peering into the distance trying to read the road sign. He peered over my shoulder at the computer screen and asked about the figures. The judge peered over his glasses at the jury.

Meaning	To look at someone or something for a long time with the eyes wide open (esp. when surprised, frightened or thinking deeply) and not move your eyes
Examples	Sean was staring at me. Don't stare at people like that, you might upset them. She stared at the open wound in horror. John sat quietly staring into the distance, thinking of what might have been.

Meaning	To quickly close and then open one eye, in order to be friendly or to show that something is a joke or that you are not serious about something you have said
Examples	She smiled and winked at me. She winked at me as he turned his back. For a moment I thought he was being serious, but then he winked at me.

to blink	to frown	to gaze	to glance	to glare
to glimpse	to peep	to peer	to stare	to wink

All examples on this page sourced from the

Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

and/or the

Cambridge International Dictionary of English

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/