Definition of "scintillate" [scin•til•late]

• To throw off sparks; flash. (verb-intransitive)
• To sparkle or shine. See Synonyms at flash. (verb-intransitive)
• To be animated and brilliant: dinner conversation that scintillated. (verb-intransitive)
• To give off (sparks or flashes). (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "A small, circular wave emanating from a central point. scintillate"
• "I know he fails to scintillate and he does seem to be around more and more often but they don't need to be so outwardly mean and I told them so."
• "You could say he's a shining example, except le Carré's point is that while Smiley's powers scintillate, he's practically a cipher when he's not putting those talents to work."