squint
/skwɪnt
/verb
1 [no object] Look at someone or something with one or both eyes partly closed in an attempt to see more clearly or as a reaction to strong light: the bright sun made them squint...
- I heard a humming and the dozen fluorescent lights started to flicker on and I blinked, squinting at the bright light.
- Shading my eyes from the glare of the sun, I squinted to see more clearly.
- Though smiling, he was squinting hard in the strong light and looked distinctly uncomfortable.
Synonyms
screw up one's eyes, narrow one's eyes, look with/through narrowed eyes, peer, blink
rare squinny
1.1 [with object] Partly close (one’s eyes) in an attempt to see more clearly or as a reaction to strong light: he squinted sleepy eyes against the sudden light...
- Ivya grew closer and closer, squinting her eyes to make out the figure.
- The door slammed closed and he squinted his eyes against the pain.
- Stifling a cry, I squinted my eyes closed and bit my lower lip.
2 [no object] Have eyes that look in different directions: Melanie did not squint...
- Children with lazy eye may squint, look cross-eyed, or tilt their head to see things.
Synonyms
be cross-eyed, have a squint;
Scottish be skelly
technical suffer from strabismus, be strabismic
British informal be boss-eyed
2.1(Of a person’s eye) have a deviation in the direction of its gaze: her left eye squinted slightly...
- The process of exclusion affects not only the squinting eye, but also in part the one that does not squint.
noun
1 [in singular] A permanent deviation in the direction of the gaze of one eye: I had a bad squint...
- It is usually caused by a squint in one eye, which means the eyes look in different directions.
- If corrective spectacles are not worn this convergent squint may become permanent.
- Strabismic amblyopia usually presents with a visible squint, but refractive amblyopia or a small angle strabismus may not be detected until it is too late for treatment to be effective.
Synonyms
cross-eyes
British informal boss-eye
technical strabismus
2 [in singular] informal A quick or casual look: let me have a squint...
- A quick squint at lunchtime allows residents of this upmarket pile to decide whether or not there is someone sufficiently interesting there to make the short walk down the Mound worthwhile.
- And a quick squint at his press clippings suggests that the way he earns his living is indeed scandalous.
- A quick squint in my mirror and I can just make out a Caterham hurtling up behind me.
Synonyms
look, glance, peep, peek, glimpse;
view, examination, study, inspection, scan, sight
informal eyeful, dekko, butcher's, gander, look-see, once-over, shufti, recce
Australian/New Zealand informal geek, squiz
New Zealand informal Jack Nohi
3An oblique opening through a wall in a church permitting a view of the altar from an aisle or side chapel.The squint in the title of the play at Chelsea Theatre, is mainly one of those narrow slots in a wall in mediaeval churches where people excluded from the service can watch the Mass....
- There is a blocked squint, of uncertain date, in the north wall just as you enter the chancel around which careful searching will reveal some Civil War graffiti.
- The squint gave a view of the altar to parishioners sitting in the lost north transept.
adjective chiefly Scottish
Not straight or level: the squint bottom edge of the puzzle...
- Only a squint nose - it's been battered over the years - suggests that he's a rugby player.
- I thought you were laughing at my squint eyes and pronounced limp.
- We've spent a lot of time measuring everything and I don't think it could be any straighter (note that the lawn has a squint edge so it would be a mistake to use that as a reference).
Derivatives
squinter
- The squinters usually continue their surveillance in silence for a moment or two.
- Furthermore, surveys of Americans between the ages of 24 and 35 tell us that squinters are boring and unattractive.
- Whether blind as bats or merely squinters, people with less than 20/20 vision endure a lot to improve their view of the world.
squinty
[often in combination]: squinty-eyed...
- Stoic and economical in his movements, expressing emotional pain through tight-lipped grimaces and squinty eyes, Mortenson is the perfect cowboy hero.
- Elam's portrayals of sinister thugs, gangsters and gunslingers were aided immeasurably by his squinty, wandering left eye.
- And even as I am relating this story I know you are looking upon me with great anger in your squinty, beady eyes.
Origin
Mid 16th century (in the sense 'squinting', as in squint-eyed): shortening of asquint.