Squinten

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Characterized by a narrowed or partially closed gaze, often due to bright light or to enhance focus on distant objects
2. describing the act of looking sideways or askance
3. generally indicating a physical reaction to discomfort or effort in seeing clearly Exhibiting a squint or a similar eye posture, typically to shield from glaring brightness or to improve visual acuity on items far away

Etymology: Before it meant narrowing the eyes against glare, this word described looking sideways or with the eyes turned out of line. The likely source is Middle Dutch "schuinen," "to slant" or "look askance," from a root related to "schuin," meaning oblique. English speakers adopted the idea in the Middle English period, when "squinten" was the infinitive form. The sideways sense is the older one, and the narrowed-eye sense developed from it, though exactly when the shift happened is uncertain. The "-en" ending is the Middle English infinitive marker, which later dropped away, leaving the modern "squint." "Squinten" is therefore an archaic form of "squint," and the modern verb is the one still in everyday use.

Synonyms: squint, peer, narrow eyes

Antonyms: gaze, stare, look wide-eyed