Emily Dickinson Lexicon

GLEAM, n. [Sax. gleam, or glæm, properly a shoot of light, coinciding with glimmer, glimpse, Ir. laom, (perhaps L. flamma.) The radical sense is to throw, to shoot or dart, and it may be of the same family as clamo, clamor, a shoot of the voice, and W. llam, Ir. leam, a leap, Ar. لََمَعَ, Class Lm, No. 8.]

1. A shoot of light; a beam; a ray; a small stream of light. A gleam of dawning light; metaphorically, a gleam of hope.
2. Brightness; splendor. In the clear azure gleam the flocks are seen. Pope.