glance off
Bounce off obliquely
To glance off is to strike a surface at an angle and deflect rather than penetrate or stop: The bullet glanced off his helmet.
The phrase suggests a near miss—contact occurred but without full impact.
Light, gazes, and attention can also glance off surfaces, implying a brief, superficial encounter rather than sustained focus.
- grazeFeed on growing plants
- ricochetAngled deflection off surface
- caromAngled deflection shot
- deflectTurn from course
- bounceSpring back after impact
skim · veer · deviate · swerve · change course · brush past · side swipe · angle of incidence · rebound · parry · flick · tangent · trajectory · glimpse · physics · skitter · friction · nick