E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Eyes.
The Almond Eyes. The Chinese.
1
“He will not receive a very warm welcome from the Almond Eyes.”—F. Millar: On the Central Saints’ Rest (1891).
Eyes to the blind. A staff. So called in allusion to the staff given to Tire’sias by Athe’na, to serve him for the eyes of which she had deprived him. (See TIRESIAS.)
2
To cast sheep’s eyes at one. To look askant with shyness or diffidence.
3
To make eyes at one. To look wantonly at a person; to look lovingly at another.
4
To rent the eyes with paint (Jer. iv. 30). The ladies of the East tinge the edge of their eyelids with the powder of leadore. They dip into the powder a small wooden bodkin, which they draw “through the eyelids over the ball of the eye.” Jezebel is said “to have adjusted her eyes with kohol” (a powder of leadore), 2 Kings ix. 30. N.B.—The word “face” in our translation should in both these cases be rendered “eyes.” (Shaw: Travels.)
5
Your eyes are bigger than your stomach. You fancied you could eat more, but found your appetite satisfied with less than you expected. “Oculi plus devorbant quam capit venter.”
bant quam capit venter.”
