A brief fright or shock; a sudden unexpected surprise (Scottish and Northern English dialect).
From Middle English 'glif' or Middle Low German origin; possibly related to 'glive' meaning to squint or look sidelong. The sense evolved to mean a startling look or sudden fright.
Scottish dialect preserves some wonderfully expressive old words—a gliff captures that exact moment when you're startled by something unexpected, that instant before your brain catches up.
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