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.

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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

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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

I asked as I breezed through the door, my cheeks a golden tan from the goggle line down.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 8, 2024

A handful of firefighting pilots in California, in fact, have used new night goggle technology to combat he destructive Fairview fire near Hemet and the vast Mosquito fire in the Sierra Nevada.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 14, 2022

The Tactical edition is “popular with military personnel” and has features such as stealth mode and night vision goggle compatibility.

From The Verge • Feb. 9, 2022

Since 2003 the United States has provided Afghan forces with at least 600,000 infantry weapons including M16 assault rifles, 162,000 pieces of communication equipment, and 16,000 night-vision goggle devices.

From Reuters • Aug. 19, 2021

The clerk was goggle eyed at the jewel.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood