goggle

American  

[gog-uhl] / ˈgɒg əl /

noun

1. goggles,

   1. large spectacles equipped with special lenses, protective rims, etc., to prevent injury to the eyes from strong wind, flying objects, blinding light, etc.

   2. spectacles designed for a special purpose, as night-vision or stereoscopic goggles.

   3. Informal. glasses, or eyeglasses.

      I can't see a thing without my goggles.

2. a bulging or wide-open look of the eyes; stare.

---

verb (used without object)

goggled, goggling

1. to stare with bulging or wide-open eyes.

   Synonyms:

   glare, gawp, gawk, ogle, gape

2. (of the eyes) to bulge and be wide open in a stare.

3. to roll the eyes.

4. (of the eyes) to roll.

5. Informal. spearfish.

verb (used with object)

goggled, goggling

1. to roll (the eyes).

adjective

1. (of the eyes) rolling, bulging, or staring.

goggle British  

/ ˈɡɒɡəl /

verb

1. (intr) to stare stupidly or fixedly, as in astonishment

2. to cause (the eyes) to roll or bulge or (of the eyes) to roll or bulge

---

noun

1. a fixed or bulging stare

2. (plural) spectacles, often of coloured glass or covered with gauze: used to protect the eyes

Other Word Forms

• goggly
  adjective
• ungoggled
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of goggle

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English gogelen “to look aside, squint”

Explanation

When you goggle, you stare with wide-open bug eyes. You might goggle at a monkey riding a unicycle down the main street of your town. You may have heard of goggles — those large, plastic glasses that you use to protect your eyes while you are skiing or using a blowtorch. You might look like you are wearing goggles when you goggle at something. If you are looking for a new way to say "What are you looking at?!" Try: "What are you goggling at?!"

Example Sentences

Stevens Pass has reopened all of its base area bars and restaurants, including beloved après joint the Foggy Goggle, whose new mug club sold out on opening day.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 6, 2022

For now, I’ll just wait until someone comes up with a Goggle that lets me view only articles from satirical sources.

From The Verge • Jun. 22, 2022

I consulted my Goggle menu for answer-alternatives to “Shut up, Carl.”

From Slate • Jun. 27, 2020

Many of them happened into the Foggy Goggle on Saturday night.

From New York Times • Dec. 20, 2012

She was Mary Goggle, 50, known as "Belfast Mary."

From Time Magazine Archive