gluren

Forms

gluren^[1] Older spellings are gluyeren, gluiren, gloeren and glueren.^[2][3]

Etymology

The verb has no known Middle Dutch forerunner; it is a northern word, given by Kiliaan as Holland and Frisian in the forms ⟨gluyeren⟩, ⟨gloeren⟩ and ⟨glueren⟩.^[3][4][5] Because it could also mean “to glow, to glitter”, the EWN thinks it probably related to gloren “to dawn”, and probably influenced by loeren “to lurk”.^[3][1] The WNT derives it from the same stem as the verb for “to dawn”, with /r/ from /s/, and finds forms with ⟨gl⟩ at home in the Saxon and Frisian dialects.^[2]

Related words are Middle Low German glūren (“to wink, to leer”), West Frisian glurje (“to peer”), the English verb glower (“to stare”) and the Norwegian dialect verb glȳra (“to look intently or darkly”).^[4][5][6] Franck–Van Wijk trace them to a Germanic root with /ū/ related to that of gloeien and glooien, and note that it mixed early with words in ⟨l⟩ such as the verb for “to lurk”.^[5] Kruyskamp held that the sounds ⟨gl⟩ and /ū/ were originally only expressive, and later took on an unfavourable meaning, as in gluipen.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The word is first recorded in 1557, of casting amorous looks: ’t wijf dat met d’oogen gluyrt, “the woman who ogles with her eyes”.^[3] In 1588 Kiliaan gives gluyeren, gloeren, glueren with the sense “to wink”.^[3][6]

Semantic evolution

In the 17th century gluren was common for amorous or wanton glances (1615), and more widely for greedy or envious looks; it could also mean to look askance or over one's shoulder (1617).^[2] The sense “to look secretly, to lurk” is found from 1610, and gluyeren “to look sideways” in 1618.^[3] The sense “to glow, to glitter” was not yet forgotten: in 1676 love will last soo lang 't gesternte gluyrt, “as long as the stars glitter”.^[3][2]

The modern sense, to peer with half-closed eyes, sideways or furtively but intently, is in the WNT from 1782, often through a crack or hole.^[2][7] Dutch colonists took the word to the Altmark, where it became gludern.^[4][8]

Timeline

• 1557 – Gluyren of a woman ogling.^[3]
• 1588 – Kiliaan gives gluyeren, gloeren, glueren “to wink”.^[3][9]
• 1610 – Used of looking secretly, lurking.^[3]
• 1615 – Get hoe gluurden daer die snuyvers, of dandies ogling.^[2]
• 1676 – Soo lang 't gesternte gluyrt, “as long as the stars glitter”.^[3]
• 1782 – Over 't horretje gluren, to peer over the screen.^[2]

Meanings

Verb

1. To peep, to peer: to look secretly, with a curious, searching gaze.^[7][1][10] De kinderen gluurden door een kier in de schutting.^[7][1][10]

Word family

• gluurder
• begluren
• aangluren

Related words

• gloren
• loeren
• gluipen
• English glower

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Vries, Matthias de; Winkel, L. A. te, et al. (1882–1998), Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal, 29 vols., 's-Gravenhage / Leiden: Nijhoff / Sijthoff / SDU; supplement 2001; gtb.ivdnt.org
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Philippa, Marlies; Debrabandere, Frans; Quak, Arend; Schoonheim, Tanneke; Sijs, Nicoline van der (2003–2009), Etymologisch woordenboek van het Nederlands, 4 vols., Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press; online via etymologiebank.nl
4. ^ a b c d Vries, Jan de (1971), Nederlands etymologisch woordenboek, Leiden: Brill
5. ^ a b c Franck, Johannes; Wijk, Nicolaas van (1912), Franck's Etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal, 2nd ed., 's-Gravenhage: Nijhoff
6. ^ a b Veen, P. A. F. van; Sijs, Nicoline van der (1997), Etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van onze woorden, 2nd ed., Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Lexicografie
7. ^ a b c Van Dale Groot woordenboek hedendaags Nederlands (2014), Utrecht / Antwerpen: Van Dale Uitgevers
8. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2010), Nederlandse woorden wereldwijd, Den Haag: Sdu; with additions from the Uitleenwoordenbank (2015)
9. ^ Sijs, Nicoline van der (2001), Chronologisch woordenboek: de ouderdom en herkomst van onze woorden en betekenissen, Amsterdam / Antwerpen: Veen
10. ^ a b WikiWoordenboek (Dutch Wiktionary), nl.wiktionary.org