1837. Dickens, Oliver Twist, ch. 16. Let’s have a glim … or we shall go breaking our necks.
1837. Lytton, Ernest Maltravers, Bk. I., ch. 10. ‘Hush, Jack!’ whispered one; ‘hang out the glim and let’s look about us.’
1852. Judson, Myst., etc., of New York, ch. iv. Old Jack bade Harriet trim the glim.
1883. R. L. Stevenson, Treasure Island, p. 89. Sure enough, they left their glim here.
1884. Henley and Stevenson, Admiral Guinea, ii., 6. Now here is my little glim; it aint for me because I’m blind.
2. (old).—A sham account of a fire as sold by flying stationers (q.v.).
1851–61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, i., 233. His papers certify any and every ‘ill that flesh is heir to’.… Loss by fire is a glim.
3. in. pl. (common).—The eyes.
English Synonyms.—Blinkers; daylights; deadlights; glaziers; lights; lamps; ogles; optics; orbs; peepers; sees; squinters; toplights; windows; winkers.
French Synonyms.—Les quinquets (popular = bright eyes, Vidocq); les mirettes (popular and thieves’; Italian: mira = sight); les reluits (thieves’: also daymans—or lightmans [q.v.]); les calots (thieves’ = marbles); les châsses or les châssis (popular = hunters’); les lampions (thieves’ = lamps (q.v.); Italian: lanterna and lampante); les apics (thieves’); les ardents (thieves’ = piercers); les œillets (popular = eyelets); les lanternes de cabriolet (popular = giglamps); les clignots (popular = winkers); les carreaux (thieves’ = windows); les clairs (thieves’ = shiners); les coquards (thieves’).