— squinter , n. — squintingly , adv. — squintingness , n.
/skwint/ , v.i.
1. to look with the eyes partly closed.
2. Ophthalm. to be affected with strabismus; be cross-eyed.
3. to look or glance obliquely or sidewise; look askance.
4. to make or have an indirect reference to or bearing on; tend or incline toward (usually fol. by toward, at, etc.).
v.t.
5. to close (the eyes) partly in looking: The baby squinted its eyes at the bright lights.
6. to cause to squint; cause to look obliquely.
n.
7. an act or instance of squinting.
8. Ophthalm. a condition of the eye consisting in noncoincidence of the optic axes; strabismus.
9. Informal. a quick glance: Let me have a squint at that paper.
10. a looking obliquely or askance.
11. an indirect reference.
12. an inclination or tendency, esp. an oblique or perverse one.
13. Also called hagioscope . (in a church) a small opening in a wall giving a view of the altar.
adj.
14. looking obliquely; looking with a side glance; looking askance.
15. Ophthalm. (of the eyes) affected with strabismus.
[ 1350-1400 for earlier adv. sense; 1570-80 for adj. senses; ME; aph. var. of ASQUINT ]