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Sparkle vs Refract - What's the difference?

sparkle | refract |

As verbs the difference between sparkle and refract

is that sparkle is to emit sparks; to throw off ignited or incandescent particles; to shine as if throwing off sparks; to emit flashes of light; to scintillate; to twinkle; as, the blazing wood sparkles; the stars sparkle while refract is to change direction as a result of entering a different medium.

As a noun sparkle

is a little spark; a scintillation.

sparkle

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) (m), (m), equivalent to .

Noun

(en noun)
  • A little spark; a scintillation.
  • * 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.
  • Brilliance; luster.
  • the sparkle of a diamond.
    =

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) (m), (m), (m), equivalent to .

    Alternative forms

    * (obsolete)

    Verb

    (sparkl)
  • To emit sparks; to throw off ignited or incandescent particles; to shine as if throwing off sparks; to emit flashes of light; to scintillate; to twinkle; as, the blazing wood sparkles; the stars sparkle.
  • * A mantelet upon his shoulder hanging Bretful of rubies red, as fire sparkling . — Chaucer.
  • * , chapter=5
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=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.}}
  • To manifest itself by, or as if by, emitting sparks; to glisten; to flash.
  • * Milton
  • I see bright honour sparkle through your eyes.
  • To emit little bubbles, as certain kinds of liquors; to effervesce; as, sparkling wine.
  • To emit in the form or likeness of sparks.
  • * Did sparkle forth great light. — Spenser
  • (obsolete) To disperse.
  • * The Landgrave hath sparkled his army without any further enterprise. — State Papers.
  • (obsolete) To scatter on or over.
  • Synonyms
    * shine, glisten, scintillate, radiate, coruscate, glitter, twinkle =

    References

    * (Webster 1913)

    refract

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (of light) To change direction as a result of entering a different medium
  • (optics) To cause (light) to change direction as a result of entering a different medium.
  • A prism can refract light.

    Derived terms

    * refracting

    See also

    * reflect

    Anagrams

    *