SQUINT

askance, askant, asquint, squint, squint-eyed, squinty, sidelong

(adjective) (used especially of glances) directed to one side with or as if with doubt or suspicion or envy; ā€œher eyes with their misted askance lookā€- Elizabeth Bowen; ā€œsidelong glancesā€

squint

(noun) the act of squinting; looking with the eyes partly closed

strabismus, squint

(noun) abnormal alignment of one or both eyes

squint, squinch

(verb) cross oneā€™s eyes as if in strabismus; ā€œThe children squinted so as to scare each otherā€

squint

(verb) partly close oneā€™s eyes, as when hit by direct blinding light; ā€œThe driver squinted as the sun hit his windshieldā€

squint

(verb) be cross-eyed; have a squint or strabismus

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Verb

squint (third-person singular simple present squints, present participle squinting, simple past and past participle squinted)

(intransitive) To look with the eyes partly closed, as in bright sunlight, or as a threatening expression.

(intransitive) To look or glance sideways.

(intransitive) To look with, or have eyes that are turned in different directions; to suffer from strabismus.

(intransitive, figurative) To have an indirect bearing, reference, or implication; to have an allusion to, or inclination towards, something.

The Forum

(intransitive, Scotland) To be not quite straight, off-centred; to deviate from a true line; to run obliquely.

(transitive) To turn to an oblique position; to direct obliquely.

Synonyms

• skelly

Noun

squint (plural squints)

An expression in which the eyes are partly closed.

The look of eyes which are turned in different directions, as in strabismus.

A quick or sideways glance.

A short look.

A hagioscope.

(radio transmission) The angle by which the transmission signal is offset from the normal of a phased array antenna.

Adjective

squint

Looking obliquely; having the vision distorted.

(Scottish) askew, not level

Anagrams

• quints

Source: Wiktionary


Squint, a. Etym: [Cf. D. schuinte a slope, schuin, schuinisch, sloping, oblique, schuins slopingly. Cf. Askant, Askance, Asquint.]

1. Looking obliquely. Specifically (Med.), not having the optic axes coincident; -- said of the eyes. See Squint, n., 2.

2. Fig.: Looking askance. "Squint suspicion." Milton.

Squint, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Squinted; p. pr. & vb. n. Squinting.]

1. To see or look obliquely, asquint, or awry, or with a furtive glance. Some can squint when they will. Bacon.

2. (Med.)

Definition: To have the axes of the eyes not coincident; -- to be cross- eyed.

3. To deviate from a true line; to run obliquely.

Squint, v. t.

1. To turn to an oblique position; to direct obliquely; as, to squint an eye.

2. To cause to look with noncoincident optic axes. He . . . squints the eye, and makes the harelid. Shak.

Squint, n.

1. The act or habit of squinting.

2. (Med.)

Definition: A want of coincidence of the axes of the eyes; strabismus.

3. (Arch.)

Definition: Same as Hagioscope.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

22 February 2025

ANALYSIS

(noun) the use of closed-class words instead of inflections: e.g., ā€˜the father of the brideā€™ instead of ā€˜the brideā€™s fatherā€™


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