glide

Meanings

Verb

• To move softly, smoothly, or effortlessly.
• To fly unpowered, as of an aircraft. Also relates to gliding birds and flying fish.
• To cause to glide.
• To pass with a glide, as the voice.

Noun

• The act of gliding.
• A transitional sound, especially a semivowel.
• An attack or preparatory movement made by sliding down the opponent’s blade, keeping it in constant contact.
• A bird, the glede or kite.
• A kind of cap affixed to the base of the legs of furniture to prevent it from damaging the floor.
• The joining of two sounds without a break.
• A smooth and sliding step in dancing the waltz.

Related

Similar words

• coast, slide

Origin

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