eye cupn.
/ˈʌɪ kʌp/, U.S. /ˈaɪ ˌkəp/ 1. A small vessel having a rim shaped to fit the orbit of the eye, used to wash or apply medication to the eye; = eyebath n. (b) at eye n.1 Compounds 4.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medical appliances or equipment > equipment for applying medicaments > [noun] > for eye-drops
eye cup1586
eyebath1790
eyeglass1793
eyedropper1891
1586 W. Baley Briefe Treat. Preserv. Eie Sight (new ed.) 17 To dip the eies in cold water, to which purpose, many haue cups made in the forme of an eie, called eie cups.
a1627 T. Middleton et al. Widdow (1652) iv. ii. 49 Reach me the eye-cup hither.
1793 W. Rowley Rational Pract. Physic III. 147 Washing the eye, after, with warm water, to remove any remains of the lime, with the use of the eye cup, is proper.
1837 R. Huish Female's Friend 314/1 When the eye is merely weak, frequent ablution with cold water, either in a basin, or by means of an eye-cup of green glass, will be of great use.
1909 Daily Chron. 8 July 9/5 Eyecups are made purposely for this [sc. bathing the eyes] and are convenient.
2007 A. L. Thygerson et al. First Aid, CPR, & AED (ed. 5) xii. 154/1 Do not use an eye cup for a chemical burn.
2. Chiefly Zoology. A hollow or pit containing an eye or light-sensitive tissue or cells. Also: = optic cup n. (a) at optic adj. and n. Compounds.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > physical aspects or shapes > indentation or cavity > [noun] > depression or cavity > urn- or cup-shaped cavity
cup1540
calix1708
calyx1828
calicle1848
eye cup1876
urn1877
1876 G. B. Goode Catal. Fishes Bermudas 28 Eye moderate; horizontal diameter of the eye-cup, one and three-quarter lines.
1881 Jrnl. Royal Microsc. Soc. 1 231 In Pecten..the nerve passing up the side of the eye-cup bends over, and spreads itself over the anterior surface of the retina.
1896 J. P. McMurrich Text-bk. Invertebr. Morphol. (ed. 2) xii. 352 The eye-cup differs, however, from that of Nautilus in being completely closed, and the cells which form the outer and inner layers of the outer wall of the cup secrete chitinous material which acts as a lens.
1908 Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts & Sci. 43 423 This evidence..favors Hesse's view that these eye-cups are the true light-receptive organs.
1929 Encycl. Brit. XX. 628/2 Eye-spots are found in Medusae, starfishes, and some Annelid worms... The first step..is the sinking of the eye-spot into a pit-like depression, thus forming an eye-cup.
1975 Jrnl. Ultrastruct. Res. 52 334/1 The central part of the eye-cup [of the polychaete Arctonoë vittata] is filled with a crystalline lens.
2012 Gene Expression Patterns 12 3/1 Dendritic processes of bipolar neurons enter the eye-cup to form rhabdomeres [in the planarian Dugesia japonica].
3. A collar, typically made of rubber, which surrounds the end of the eyepiece of an optical instrument or the viewfinder of a camera.
ΚΠ
1882 J. P. Nolan Brit. Patent 1309 5 On the eyecup of the aligning telescope..is placed a right angled prism..which can at will be brought over the eye piece aperture.
1912 H. Kephart Sporting Firearms 88 The tube itself does not project back of the rifle's breech, but has a soft rubber eye-cup to cut off side light.
1971 Amateur Photogr. 13 Jan. 50/3 The rearsight is quite large, has a permanently attached rubber eye-cup and is adjustable between +1 to −4 dioptres to suit individual eyesight.
1995 Sky & Telescope May 36 (advt.) Each finder has a focusable 1¼″ eyepiece equipped with a rubber eyecup.
2006 Bird Watching Aug. 88/2 Larger rubber, twist-up eyecups lock when fully extended. Good for specs wearers.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2014; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.1586