evil eye ExamplesWord Origin 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.
Origin of evil eye before 1000; Middle English, Old English Related formse·vil-eyed, adjective Examples from the Web for evil-eyed Historical Examples of evil-eyed
They were six in number, evil-eyed men of Ethiopia, and seated in a circle.
H. Rider Haggard and Andrew Lang
The mother was old and small and withered, and they said evil-eyed.
Charles Dudley Warner
But to be evil-eyed, is not that worse than to have no eyes?
John Ruskin
It was a dark, evil-eyed face with a trembling leer about the mouth.
Roy J. Snell
The dark, evil-eyed one who was apparently known as Al, stood his ground.
Roy J. Snell
British Dictionary definitions for evil-eyed 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
Derived Formsevil-eyed, adjective Idioms and Phrases with evil-eyed 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]