evil eye
or E·vil Eye
Often Facetious. a look expressing hostility, stern disapproval, jealousy, etc.:As he left he turned and cast an evil eye in my direction, full of contempt.I’d better get off the phone—I’m getting the evil eye from my mom.
a look thought to be capable of inflicting bad luck or misfortune on the person at whom it is directed: One did not need to be a witch to give the evil eye—it could happen accidentally.
the power, superstitiously attributed to certain persons, of inflicting bad luck or misfortune by a look: The evil eye was recognized by the Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians, and ancient Egyptians from as early as 3000 b.c.
an attack carried out by means of magic power exercised through a look; a curse, jinx, or spell: Do you know anyone who can remove the evil eye?
Origin of evil eye
1Other words from evil eye
- e·vil-eyed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for evil eye
a look or glance superstitiously supposed to have the power of inflicting harm or injury
the power to inflict harm, etc, by such a look
Derived forms of evil eye
- evil-eyed, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with evil eye
The power to cause injury or misfortune, as in The tomatoes died shortly after planting—I must have an evil eye. The source of this expression is the ancient superstitious belief that some individuals could inflict harm on others simply by looking at them. Today the term is generally used figuratively or ironically, as above, and also in the form give someone the evil eye, which means “glare malevolently at someone.” For example, Helen gave his cat the evil eye, hoping it would stay out of her garden. [Late 1300s]
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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