I. ˈskwint adjective
( -er/-est )
Etymology: short for asquint
1.
a. of an eye : looking or tending to look obliquely especially with envy, disdain, or distrust
b. : characteristic of or likened to the appearance of a squint eye
a squint look
c. of the eyes : not having the visual axes parallel : crossed — compare strabismus
2.
a. obsolete : bearing indirectly
b. : oblique
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to have an indirect bearing, reference, or aim
b. : to deviate from a true line : run obliquely
2.
a.
(1) : to look obliquely or askance or with a furtive glance
(2) : to look suspiciously or with envy, malice, or disapproval
b. : to be cross-eyed or strabismic
c. : to look or peer with eyes partly closed (as when blinking from excess light or when sighting a gun)
transitive verb
1. : to cause (an eye) to look obliquely or to become crossed
2. : to cause (an eye) to become partly closed or to peer while partly closed
squinted his eyes as he stared up at the number — Erle Stanley Gardner
III. noun
( -s )
1.
a. : strabismus
b.
(1) : the action, habit, or an instance of looking obliquely, furtively, or hastily
detected him taking a hasty squint at my certificate — Joseph Conrad
(2) : an action, habit, or instance of screwing the eyes partly closed
c. : hagioscope
2. : a tendency from the ordinary : an inclination toward some object, course, or procedure : trend , bent