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glimms

Old-school slang for eyes.

ˈɡlɪmzhistorical143 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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#1·Apr 28, 2026

Old-school slang for eyes. The word belongs to a rich tradition of colourful underworld and thieves' cant vocabulary that flourished in 17th- and 18th-century Britain, though it occasionally pops up in fiction, poetry, or theatrical dialogue even today. Calling someone's eyes their glimms conjures a sense of their gleam or glimmer — the word is evocative in a way clinical alternatives aren't. Writers going for a vintage, noir, or theatrical register sometimes reach for it.

The old detective fixed his steel-grey glimms on the suspect and waited without saying a word.
Origin: Likely related to 'glimmer' or older Germanic roots connected to light and sight; found in thieves' cant glossaries from at least the 17th century. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora (model-assisted, hedged).
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#2·Apr 27, 2026

(slang) eyes.

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