Etymology From dead + eye. See glossary of nautical terms of "deadrise" for usage of "dead" to describe a stationary object or spatial stability of an object relative to motion. See nautical definition of "eye" for usage referring to the foremost part of a ship's bow that aims its orientation. For biological eye stabilization during head and neck movement, see vestibulo-ocular reflex
1
Very accurate in shooting or throwing.
Gross, only a 20-year-old junior, is a deadeye passer, a poised runner and a quick-thinking field general.1961 November 2, Jerry Green, “Gross Dwarfed, But Not in Ability”, in The Milwaukee Sentinel:
Help in that department should come from highly touted freshman Jason Kapono, a 6'7" deadeye shooter who made 211 threes in high school.1999 November 15, Alan Shipnuck, “10 Ucla”, in Sports Illustrated, archived from the original on 28 Jun 2013:
1 more example
The old man was a natural sniper, a deadeye shooter even as a boy, and he served with my great uncle in the First World War.2008, Gerald Vizenor, Father Meme, University of New Mexico Press, →ISBN, page 94:
2
Cold; unfriendly.
Concerning a stare
The deadeye stare of the bassist was enough to make any normal person run.2004 July 28, Emma Field, “Sons and Daughters / The Archie Bronson Outfit, ICA, London”, in The Independent:
Outlandish in its violence and its conceit, "The Brave One" would be an interesting addendum to Foster's career even without its biographical frisson, without the image of Erica holding a gun with a deadeye stare […]2007 September 10, Manohla Dargis, “The real Jodie Foster, 100 percent professional”, in New York Times:
Etymology From dead + eye. See glossary of nautical terms of "deadrise" for usage of "dead" to describe a stationary object or spatial stability of an object relative to motion. See nautical definition of "eye" for usage referring to the foremost part of a ship's bow that aims its orientation. For biological eye stabilization during head and neck movement, see vestibulo-ocular reflex
1
Nautical, Transport A wooden disk having holes through which the lanyard is passed, used for tightening shrouds.
2
A very accurate marksman.
He taught both my mother and me to shoot, taught my mother so well that she became a better shot than he was--a real deadeye.1989, Tobias Wolff, This Boy's Life: A Memoir:
3
Uncommon A penchant for noticing a particular thing, or a person who has such a penchant.
He examined the cash balance daily, boasted he could pay off all debts in two hours, had a deadeye for fake figures in scanning a ledger, and personally audited the books each New Year's Day.1990, Ron Chernow, The House of Morgan: An American Banking Dynasty and the Rise of Modern Finance:
Thirty-four years later, she was a tough CEO who went after Jimmy's detractors with a deadeye for the jugular.1999, Ann Rowe Seaman, Swaggart: The Unathorized Biography of an American Evangelist:
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Manny's memory had always been an arch-phenomenon of mimcry ^([sic]); he was a deadeye for all the destructive details.2002, Lilly Paige White, Manny Lesko: The Erotic History of Estelle Antoinette Francine Chevalier, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 42: