owlish

[ ou-lish ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

resembling or characteristic of an owl:
His thick glasses give him an owlish appearance.

ˈowlish

/ ˈaʊlɪʃ /

Origin of owlish¹

First recorded in 1605–15; owl + -ish ¹

Here we see the well-known face, a bearded mask housing a pair of glowing, owlish eyes, the hair and forehead flecked with blood.

In his haste to flee, he had dropped his owlish horn rims, his wallet, and false teeth.

Shambling along in oversized suits, his eyes penetrating behind owlish specs, Dunne is now 82.

Her head wore a close hood, disclosing a fringe of grey locks, owlish to see about features hooked for action.

His owlish German face screwed up in an expression of pain as the rolling of the ship racked his injured body.

"Don't be owlish, Evert; one is even more apt to step into them on a ground-floor," replied the aunt.

A beard, a pair of round owlish spectacles, and two ridiculous ear-muffs, left only a suggestion of face here and there.

Now for the frightful face with mouse's ears, winking owlish eyes streaming with fiendish fire!

April 19, 2024tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

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