squinting
squinting — verb
1. to narrow your eye openings so that you can make out details that are hard to se
to narrow your eye openings so that you can make out details that are hard to see, often because the light is too bright or because you cannot see things far away well
Theo squinted through the fog, trying to find the lighthouse on the far side of the harbour.
squint + through + object for seeing past obstacles
Mei-Lin had to squint at the menu because she had left her reading glasses at home.
squint + at + object for reading
The morning sun was so bright that Haruto squinted all the way to school.
Dr. Amara squinted into the microscope and slowly adjusted the focus wheel.
Kwame squinted at the price tag, wondering if he had enough cash to pay for the jacket.
- peer
suggests straining to see without necessarily narrowing the eyes; implies leaning forward
- screw up one's eyes
more informal British English, emphasises the physical action of wrinkling the face
文法句型
squint + at + object
squint + through + object
squint + into + object
用法筆記
Common with prepositions 'at', 'through', and 'into' to show what the person is looking at. Frequently used with adverbs like 'hard' or 'slightly' to describe the degree
常見錯誤
2. to have a misalignment of the visual axes, where one eye points at a different s
to have a misalignment of the visual axes, where one eye points at a different spot from the other because the muscles around the eyeball are not working evenly together
The baby's left eye sometimes squinted during the first few months, but the paediatrician said the condition often corrects itself.
medical context: eye + squints
After the accident, the left side of Elena's face felt weak and her eye began to squint noticeably.
Layla noticed that her son squinted when he was tired, so she took him to see an eye specialist.
- be cross-eyed
more common in everyday speech, specifically describes both eyes turning inward
- have a squint
British English noun phrase for the same condition
文法句型
eye + squints
person + squints (in one eye)
用法筆記
This describes a medical condition (strabismus), not a voluntary action. Subject is usually an eye or the person with the condition. Also used with reflexive meaning: 'His eye squints.' Distinguish from sense verb/1, which describes a voluntary action to see better
常見錯誤
squinting — adjective
1. having the eye openings narrowed to reduce incoming light or to sharpen the view
having the eye openings narrowed to reduce incoming light or to sharpen the view of something that is far away or hard to distinguish
A squinting Emma shaded her eyes with one hand as she scanned the horizon for the rescue boat.
attributive: squinting + person
The squinting old man held the newspaper at arm's length and still could not read the tiny print.
Squinting passengers on the train platform leaned forward to see if the approaching train was the express.
Chloe was squinting so hard that her whole face wrinkled up like a raisin.
- narrow-eyed
more literary, suggests suspicion as well as reduced vision
- peering
focuses on the effort to see rather than the physical position of the eyelids
- wide-eyed
suggests surprise or innocence, with eyes fully open
文法句型
squinting + noun (person)
be squinting
用法筆記
Can be used before a noun (attributive: 'a squinting reader') or after a linking verb (predicative: 'The reader was squinting'). The attributive use often describes a habitual or temporary facial expression
常見錯誤
2. looking at someone or something from the side of the eye in a way that shows dis
looking at someone or something from the side of the eye in a way that shows distrust, disapproval, or jealousy
The older artist gave the newcomer a squinting look that suggested he doubted her talent.
squinting + look — typical collocation for this sense
Vikram cast a squinting glance at the luxury car in his neighbour's driveway, wondering how anyone could afford it.
squinting glance — suggests envy
The librarian responded with a squinting stare when the students burst into loud laughter near the reading room.
- askance
adverb, not adjective; 'looked askance at' carries the same distrustful tone
文法句型
squinting + look / glance / stare
用法筆記
This sense is almost always used before a noun like 'look', 'glance', 'stare'. It carries a negative emotional tone — suspicion, resentment, or envy. Rarely used predicatively ('He was squinting.' would be interpreted as adj-sense-1 by most readers)
常見錯誤
3. having eyes that do not look in the same direction because one or both point inw
having eyes that do not look in the same direction because one or both point inward or outward instead of straight ahead
The squinting kitten had a lovable lopsided face that made everyone at the shelter want to adopt it.
attributive: squinting + animal
Zara was born with a squinting eye that became much less noticeable after she started wearing the glasses the doctor prescribed.
predicative: squinting + part of the body
The toddler in the photograph was slightly squinting, but the paediatrician said the alignment would improve with age.
- cross-eyed
more common in everyday English, specifically describes both eyes turning inward
- strabismic
formal medical term for the same condition
文法句型
squinting + noun (person/animal)
be squinting (in one eye)
用法筆記
When used before a noun, it describes a person or animal whose eyes have a lasting misalignment. When used predicatively ('The child was squinting'), context must make clear that this refers to a physical condition, not voluntary eye-narrowing. The medical term 'strabismic' is more formal
常見錯誤
squinting — noun
1. a physical disorder of vision in which a person's eyes cannot line up on the sam
a physical disorder of vision in which a person's eyes cannot line up on the same point at the same time, caused by uneven tension in the muscles that move the eyeballs
The optometrist detected squinting in the toddler and recommended early treatment to prevent permanent vision loss.
medical context: detected + squinting (uncountable)
Surgery for squinting has become much more effective over the past twenty years, especially for children under seven.
medical context: surgery for + squinting
The ophthalmologist explained that untreated squinting can lead to a lazy eye in the weaker eye.
- strabismus
the formal medical term used globally in clinical settings
- a squint
the everyday British English noun for the same condition
文法句型
squinting (uncountable — the condition)
a squinting (countable — one instance/aspect)
用法筆記
As a medical noun, 'squinting' is uncountable when referring to the condition in general. It is more common in British English than American English, where 'strabismus' is the preferred clinical term. 'A squint' (countable) is the everyday British noun
常見錯誤
2. a brief action of narrowing the eyes to inspect something more closely, especial
a brief action of narrowing the eyes to inspect something more closely, especially when the light is bright or the details are small
Diego took a squint at the distant sail through his binoculars but could not make out the flag.
take a squint at — common pattern
A quick squint through the kitchen window told Sofia that the garden party had already started.
a quick squint through — modifier + preposition
Santi gave the blurry photo another squint before finally recognising his grandfather's face.
文法句型
take/have a squint at + object
give someone a squint
用法筆記
This countable noun sense often appears in phrases like 'take a squint at', 'have a squint', 'give something a squint'. It is more informal than 'a look' and emphasises the effort involved in seeing