▪ I. ˈsquinting, vbl. n.
[f. squint v.]
1. The action of looking with a squint or side-glance. Also fig.
| 1611 Cotgr., Louschement, a squinting, or looking askew. 1654 Whitlock Zootomia 181 The Physitian halfe a Fee; the Mountebanke more than hee asketh, &c. with such like squintings on Desert. a 1721 Prior Dial. Locke & Montaigne ¶39 If again your Eyes were continually endeavoring [to] look one upon an other, you would only get a habit of Squinting. 1887 Scottish Leader 22 Nov. 6/1 A little political squinting might be allowable. |
2. spec. The eye-disease strabismus; = squint n. 1.
| 1626 Bacon Sylva ¶867 Both Eyes will moue Outwards; As affecting to see the Light, and so induce Squinting. 1763 Foote Mayor of G. i. Wks. 1799 I. 163 She has been cured of..squinting, by the Chevalier Taylor. 1799 Underwood Dis. Childhood (ed. 4) II. 248 Another, and a very common blemish is that called Squinting. 1822 Good Study Med. III. 237 It is obvious, therefore, that strabismus may have three varieties:..Habitual squinting... Atonic squinting... Organic squinting. 1851 Carpenter Man. Phys. 595 If..the conformity of the two eyes be restored (as by the operation for the cure of squinting). 1883 Millington Are we to read backwards? 23 Squinting..is usually produced by an abnormally flattened shape of the eyeball. |
▪ II. ˈsquinting, ppl. a.
[f. squint v.]
1. Of persons, the eyes, etc.: Looking obliquely or with a squint; affected with strabismus.
| 1611 Cotgr., Biglesse, a squinting wench. 1646 J. Hall Satire Poems (1906) 190 What rocks of diamonds presently arise In the soft quagmires of two squinting eyes. 1688 Lond. Gaz. No. 2371/4 Sam Cowling.., a squat bow-legged squinting Fellow. 1756 M. Calderwood in Coltness Collect. (Maitland Club) 201 She was a little squinting beauty, very well painted. 1807 Med. Jrnl. XVII. 525 The focal points of direct vision do not ever correspond anatomically in squinting persons. 1848 Dickens Dombey xii, He..saw..squinting faces leering in the squares and diamonds of the floorcloth. 1879 Cassell's Techn. Educ. I. 160/1 The patient again suppresses the image of the squinting eye. |
† b. Looking opposite ways. Obs. rare.
| 1598 Marston Sco. Villanie i. i. 173 Mylo doth hate Murder, Clodius Cuckolds, Marius the gate Of squinting Ianus shuts. 1651 Cleveland Poems 35 As in a picture, where the squinting paint Shews Fiend on this side, and on that side Saint. |
2. Of looks, etc.: Characterized or accompanied by a squint or squints; oblique.
| 1600 Marlowe tr. Lucan i. 55 Whence thou shouldst view thy Roome with squinting beams. 1713 Berkeley Guardian No. 4, They all agreed in a squinting look, or cast of their eyes towards a certain person in a mask. 1822 Good Study Med. II. 332 The eye has a look peculiarly oblique or squinting. 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. i. i, A man with a squinting leer. |
3. That squints, in fig. senses of the verb.
| 1648 Fanshawe Il Pastor Fido (1676) 158 With a strait look, a squinting heart; and least Fidelity where greatest was profest. 1661 Boyle Style of Script. (1675) 136 Those dark and squinting oracles, that came..from the Prince of darkness and father of lies. 1693 Humours Town 74 You are lash'd in a Preface with a squinting Reflection that looks a hundred ways at once. 1826 Lamb Conf. Drunkard in Elia (1869) 393 To give pleasure and be paid with squinting malice. |
So ˈsquintingly adv.
| 1593 Nashe Christ's Tears Wks. (Grosart) IV. 183 O why should I but squintingly glance at these matters, when they are so admirably expatiated by auncient Writers? 1611 Cotgr., Biglement, squintingly, skenningly, askew. 1708 Sewel ii, Loens, asquint, squintingly. 1820 Hogg Adv. Basil Lee Tales (1866) 264 Her gray eyes softly and squintingly turned on me. |