[f. SQUINT v.]
1. The action of looking with a squint or side-glance. Also fig.
1611. Cotgr., Louschement, a squinting, or looking askew.
1654. R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 181. The Physitian halfe a Fee; the Mountebanke more than hee asketh, &c. with such like squintings on Desert.
a. 1721. Prior, Dial. Locke & Montaigne, ¶ 39. If again your Eyes were continually endeavoring [to] look one upon an other, you would only get a habit of Squinting.
1887. Scottish Leader, 22 Nov., 6/1. A little political squinting might be allowable.
2. spec. The eye-disease strabismus; = SQUINT sb. 1.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 867. Both Eyes will moue Outwards; As affecting to see the Light, and so induce Squinting.
1763. Foote, Mayor of G., I. Wks. 1799, I. 163. She has been cured of … squinting, by the Chevalier Taylor.
1799. Underwood, Dis. Childhood (ed. 4), II. 248. Another, and a very common blemish is that called Squinting.
1822. Good, Study Med., III. 237. It is obvious, therefore, that strabismus may have three varieties:… Habitual squinting…. Atonic squinting…. Organic squinting.
1851. Carpenter, Man. Phys., 595. If … the conformity of the two eyes be restored (as by the operation for the cure of squinting).
1883. J. Millington, Are we to read backwards? 23. Squinting … is usually produced by an abnormally flattened shape of the eyeball.
