evil eye
noun
a look thought capable of inflicting injury or bad luck on the person at whom it is directed.
the power, superstitiously attributed to certain persons, of inflicting injury or bad luck by such a look.
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RELATED WORDS
Nearby words
- evidential,
- evidentially,
- evidentiary,
- evidently,
- evil,
- evil one,
- evil twin,
- evil-minded,
- evildoer,
- evilly
Origin of evil eye
before 1000; Middle English, Old English
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for evil eye
evil eye
noun the 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
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
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
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