squinting modifier

American  

noun

Grammar.

1. a word or phrase that can modify either the words that precede it or those that follow, as frequently in the sentence Studying frequently is tedious.

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Example Sentences

“With the gun” here is what’s known as a misplaced or “squinting” modifier.

From Washington Post

A squinting modifier modifies two things at once: “Cycling up hills quickly tones your thighs.”

From The Guardian