sparkle

Noun

sparkle (plural sparkles)

1. A little spark; a scintillation.
   • Edmund Spenser

     As sparkles from the anvil rise, / When heavy hammers on the wedge are swayed.

   • Prescott

     The shock was sufficiently strong to strike out some sparkles of his fiery temper.

2. Brilliance; luster.

   the sparkle of a diamond.

Alternative forms

• sparckle, sparcle (obsolete)

Verb

sparkle (third-person singular simple present sparkles, present participle sparkling, simple past and past participle sparkled)

1. (intransitive) To emit sparks; to throw off ignited or incandescent particles

   The wood was sparkling in the bonfire.

2. (by extension) To shine as if throwing off sparks; to emit flashes of light; to scintillate; to twinkle

   The stars sparkle in the sky.

   • A mantelet upon his shoulder hanging Bretful of rubies red, as fire sparkling. — Chaucer.
   • 1918, W. B. Maxwell, chapter 5, in The Mirror and the Lamp:

     Here, in the transept and choir, where the service was being held, one was conscious every moment of an increasing brightness; colours glowing vividly beneath the circular chandeliers, and the rows of small lights on the choristers' desks flashed and sparkled in front of the boys' faces, deep linen collars, and red neckbands.

3. (intransitive) To manifest itself by, or as if by, emitting sparks; to glisten; to flash.
   • Milton

     I see bright honour sparkle through your eyes.

4. (intransitive) To emit little bubbles, as certain kinds of liquors; to effervesce

   sparkling wine

   sparkling water

5. (transitive) To emit in the form or likeness of sparks.
   • Did sparkle forth great light. — Spenser
6. (transitive, obsolete) To disperse.
   • The Landgrave hath sparkled his army without any further enterprise. — State Papers.
7. (transitive, obsolete) To scatter on or over.