bad eyen.
/ˌbad ˈʌɪ/, U.S. /ˈbæd ˈaɪ/ 1. to look upon with a bad eye and variants: to take a dim view of; to look askance at or disapprove of.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > disapprove of [verb (transitive)]
misdeema1400
disprove1477
improve1526
disapprove?1562
dislikea1575
befie1589
misthinka1616
bar1620
to look upon with a bad eye1629
improbate1656
object1775
deplore1851
to take a poor view (of something)1863
deprecate1897
1629 J. Reynolds tr. L. de Marandé Iudgm. Humane Actions 286 Doth Fortune regard vs with a bad eye? Will she dart vpon vs the Arrowes of her choler?
1702 Locutions of Lat. Tongue 62 Some have a bad eye to him, especially the Papists, calling him a flatterer of Vespasian's.
1750 tr. Advice to Female Friend 184 I looked with a very bad Eye on those who were suspected of Gallantries.
1759 J. Lauder Decisions Lords of Council & Session 1678–1712 I. 205 Pitmedden and Harcous..were looked upon with a bad eye, because they declared their dissassent [sic].
1903 M. L. Rodkinson tr. Babylonian Talmud (new ed.) V. v. 211 Each one who looks with a bad eye upon the scholars in this world, his eyes will be filled with smoke in the world to come.
2004 Africa News (Nexis) 11 Oct. After several meetings and announcements all Tutsis were looked at with a bad eye and they started being killed throughout Rwanda.
2. colloquial.
a. A gaze or stare superstitiously believed to cause harm; the magical ability to cause harm in this way. Cf. evil eye n. at evil adj. 6. Now chiefly Caribbean.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > the occult > sorcery, witchcraft, or magic > enchantment or casting spells > [noun] > spell > malignant enchantment or curse > evil eye
ill eye1615
evil eye1796
malocchio1821
bad eye1848
1848 Holden's Dollar Mag. Aug. 480/1 Faith, I'm afraid o' my life, some one has left a bad eye on my girl... I know what'll cure her, never fear, if all the fairies in the parish..was takin' her away.
1868 Amer. Phrenol. Jrnl. Dec. 216/1 He [sc. the Brazilian] is superstitious, believes in the ‘bad eye’, in charms, and is a devout worshiper of the Virgin.
1962 Jrnl. Amer. Folklore 75 334 A child gets maljo when a person with a ‘bad eye’ looks at a child and says: ‘Oh, that is a beautiful child.’ The child refuses to eat or drink, cries continually, and ‘pines away’.
1976 J. Campbell Obeah 19 Some people put a silver coin at the bottom of a pot of croton or fern so that ‘bad-eye’ may be cut out and to help the plant to strive.
2002 Eastern Eye 26 July (Specialist Services section) Also can help you against bewitchments, sorcery, cast, bad eye.
b. A harsh or unkind expression of the eyes, suggesting a malevolent disposition. Also (frequently in plural): a threatening or warning glance.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > a look or glance > [noun] > fierce or malevolent look
scowl?a1513
glare1667
death stare1818
death glare1819
bad eye1853
1853 ‘N. Buntline’ White Cruiser v. 19/1 Don't you go to the city no more, alone, please; that 'ere chap is dangerous, and he's got a bad eye, but I'll spoil it for him the next time he runs afoul of me!
1867 E. Peck Renshawe xxxvii. 357 ‘A most infernal disposition, if one may judge by her eyes.’.. ‘Yes; a very bad eye.’
1905 R. E. Beach Pardners iv. 113 I cast the bad eye on the boys to wise 'em up.
1949 W. R. Burnett Asphalt Jungle 92 Brannom [was] a big, tough-looking boy with a bad eye on him.
1992 Offshore Sept. 27/3 He answered me with a bad eye, walked off and left me for my neighbour to deal with.
1997 Y. M. Murray Locas 202 Them two started screaming RIFA and shooting crazy as soon as they see C-4 vatos giving them bad eyes.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2008; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.1629