a brittle transparent solid with irregular atomic structure
"The dropped glass shattered into sharp, jagged pieces because its rigid, amorphous structure could not bend under the impact."
a container made of glass for holding liquids while drinking
"She poured her morning coffee into her favorite thick glass before heading to work."
a small refracting telescope
"After years of staring through binoculars, I finally bought a glass to get a sharper view of Jupiter's moons."
an amphetamine derivative (trade name Methedrine) used in the form of a crystalline hydrochloride; used as a stimulant to the nervous system and as an appetite suppressant
"He took some glass before his shift started to keep himself awake all day."
a mirror; usually a ladies' dressing mirror
"She checked her reflection in the old glass before stepping out for the evening gala."
An amorphous solid, often transparent substance, usually made by melting silica sand with various additives (for most purposes, a mixture of soda, potash and lime is added).
"The scientist explained that the new window pane was composed entirely of glass, an amorphous solid created by heating silica sand with soda ash."
In plain English: Glass is a hard, transparent material made by heating sand until it melts and then cooling it quickly.
"She carefully poured the juice into her glass."
Usage: Use "glass" to refer to the hard, brittle material used for windows, bottles, and drinking vessels. Do not use it as a verb; instead, say that someone is "looking through glass" or made something "out of glass."
scan (game in the forest) with binoculars
"We spent hours scanning the dense forest for signs of deer, but our glass remained empty despite the thick foliage."
put in a glass container
"Please transfer the leftovers into a glass jar before storing them in the fridge."
become glassy or take on a glass-like appearance
"Her eyes glaze over when she is bored"
To fit with glass; to glaze.
"The conservatory was recently glassed in to create a sunroom for the family's winter garden parties."
In plain English: To glass means to look at something through a window or other transparent material.
"The cat glassed its paw on the edge of the table."
Usage: Use "glass" as a verb when you are fitting a window or door with panes of glass to create a clear view or seal. This action is often described more commonly as glazing, but glass remains correct in technical contexts involving installation.
A surname.
"During the reunion, Uncle Glass surprised everyone by performing a magic trick with a crystal ball."
The word glass comes from Old English and likely shares its roots with the verb to glow or shine in ancient Proto-Indo-European languages. Its name originally described a material that shimmers when light hits it, reflecting this luminous quality across many Germanic languages today.