Glory, n.
Etymology: [OE. glorie, OF. glorie, gloire, F. gloire, fr. L. gloria; prob. akin to Gr. glory, praise, to hear. See Loud.]
1. Praise, honor, admiration, or distinction, accorded by common consent to a person or thing; high reputation; honorable fame; renown. Glory to God in the highest. Luke ii. 14. Spread his glory through all countries wide. Spenser.
2. That quality in a person or thing which secures general praise or honor; that which brings or gives renown; an object of pride or boast; the occasion of praise; excellency; brilliancy; splendor. Think it no glory to swell in tyranny. Sir P. Sidney. Jewels lose their glory if neglected. Shak. Your sex's glory 't is to shine unknown. Young.
3. Pride; boastfulness; arrogance. In glory of thy fortunes. Chapman.
4. The presence of the Divine Being; the manifestations of the divine nature and favor to the blessed in heaven; celestial honor; heaven. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Ps. lxxiii. 24.
2 more senses
5. An emanation of light supposed to proceed from beings of peculiar sanctity. It is represented in art by rays of gold, or the like, proceeding from the head or body, or by a disk, or a mere line.
Note: This is the general term; when confined to the head it is properly called nimbus; when encircling the whole body, aureola or aureole. Glory hole, an opening in the wall of a glass furnace, exposing the brilliant white light of the interior. Knight. -- Glory pea (Bot.), the name of two leguminous plants (Clianthus Dampieri and C. puniceus) of Australia and New Zeland. They have showy scarlet or crimson flowers. -- Glory tree (Bot.), a name given to several species of the verbenaceous genus Clerodendron, showy flowering shrubs of tropical regions.
1 other Webster entry under this spelling
Glory, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Gloried; p. pr. & vb. n. Glorying.]
1. To exult with joy; to rejoice. Glory ye in his holy name. Ps. cv.
2. To boast; to be proud. God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Gal. vi. 14 No one . . . should glory in his prosperity. Richardson.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for glory; he lists it under fame.
Where he writes about it:
Glory and honor are of good import; honor may be given for qualities or acts that should not win it, but it is always given as something good and worthy; we can speak of an evil fame, but not of evil honor; glory has a more exalted and often a sacred sense. — from fame