Quints

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. To squint, as in narrowing the eyes to see more clearly
2. To look at something intently with partially closed eyelids
3. Expressing doubt or skepticism through narrowed eyes

Etymology: Quint comes from Middle French "quint," which descends from Latin "quintus," meaning "fifth." English also took "quintus" directly from Latin, so the two are doublets, one arriving by the French route and one by the direct Latin one. The meaning "fifth" carries over into modern uses. A firefighting vehicle called a quint is named for its five functions: pump, water tank, fire hose, aerial device, and ground ladders. Here "quints" is the plural of that noun. As the verb meaning to squint, it is the third-person singular form.