[f. SQUINT adv., or by inference from SQUINT-EYED a.]
1. Of eyes: Looking obliquely; having a cast or squint; affected with strabismus. Now rare.
In early quots. freq. implying envy or malice.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., Aug., 129. Heardgrome, I feare me, thou haue a squint eye. [Gloss, partiall iudgement.]
1590. Greene, Mourn. Garm. (1616), 68. Zoilus with his squint eyes will finde fault with the shape.
1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 161. He was syrnamed already Strabo, for his squint eyes.
1602. How to Choose a Good Wife, D 4. Gold can make limping Vulcan walke vpright, Make squint eyes looke strait.
1658. Creshald, Legacy, 15. The Survey and malevolent Aspect of some Squint and Blood-shot Eye.
1775. Adair, Amer. Ind., 437. Hired speakers, who use their squint eyes and forked tongues like the chieftains of the snakes.
1903. Lumholtz, Unknown Mexico, I. 245. Squint-eyes also afford them much amusement.
b. fig. (with eye = ‘look, regard,’ and usually hyphened).
1623. Fletcher, Rule a Wife, III. The pleasure I shall live in and the freedom Without the squint-eye of the law upon me.
1638. Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (ed. 2), 85. He beholds … his inferiors with a squint and supercilious eye of scorne and tyranny.
1715. J. Chappelow, Right Way to be Rich (1717), 142. Now and then casting a squint-eye upon his money-bags.
1901. Westm. Gaz., 11 Dec., 9/2. I …. hope to end my days without having used the squint-eye of prejudice in examining any fact whatever.
2. a. Of looks: Characterized by oblique vision.
1611. Cotgr., s.v. Gar, Vn regard à gar, a squint looke.
1626. trans. Boccalini’s New-found Politicke, 71. Her looke is squint, with which wishly beholding one, she fixedly looketh vpon another.
1714. R. Smith, Poems of Controversy (1853), 38. Thy squaint [sic] looks makes thee miss the mark.
1808. Jamieson, Gley, a squint look.
b. fig. Of suspicion. poet.
In last quot. passing into next.
1634. Milton, Comus, 413. My nature is That I encline to hope, rather then fear, And gladly banish squint suspicion.
1744. Thomson, Tancred & Sigismunda, V. i. Henceforth, noble Osmond,… honour more my truth, Nor mark me with an eye of squint suspicion.
1784. Colman, Prose on Sev. Occas. (1787), III. 250. While squint Suspicion holds her treacherous lamp.
c. Of persons: Squinting, squint-eyed.
1643. Trapp, Comm. Gen. xxix. 17 (1650), 234. Leah was tender-eyed] Purblinde or squint, as One interprets it.
† 3. Indirect. Obs.
1619. J. Dyke, Counterpoyson, etc. (1620), 50. Out of a squint respect to your owne gaine.
1654. R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 370. To cleare ourselves of these Squint Aspects in our Services of Heaven, is a Perfection too Seraphicall for Earth.
1681. Relig. Clerici, 56. Though ’tis not much to the purpose,… yet you may perceive it bears some squint relation to this discourse.
4. a. Characterized by obliquity of action.
c. 1610. Donne, Lett. to C’tess of Bedford, Wks. 1912, I. 189. As although a squint left-handedness Be ungracious, yet we cannot want that hand.
b. Oblique; slanting.
1703. in E. Henderson, Ann. Dunfermline (1879), 374. One squint cutt on one of the hinder legs.
1724. Sir W. Hope, Vind. Art Self-defence, 131. The slop or squint motion of your arm near to the body.
1852. Burn, Naval & Mil. Techn. Dict., II. s.v., Squint-quoin, encognure oblique.
1858. Skyring’s Builders’ Prices, 66. Squint quoins, per foot run.
5. Squint-minded, having a perverse or depraved mind.
1653. Urquhart, Rabelais, II. xxxiv. 220. You and I both are farre more worthy of pardon, then a great rabble of squint-minded fellowes, dissembling and counterfeit Saints.
