side-eye meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

side-eye

noun

US, UK /ˈsaɪdˌaɪ/

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *seh₁-der. Proto-Germanic *sīdaz Proto-Germanic *sīdǭ Old English sīde Middle English side English side Proto-Indo-European *h₃ekʷ-der. Proto-Germanic *augô Proto-West Germanic *augā Old English ēage Middle English eye English eye English side-eye From side + eye.

A sidelong look, particularly of animosity, judgment, or suspicion.

Near-synonyms: evil eye, stink eye (see more there)
I'm going to admit that the opening strains sound a wee bit "demo from a home studio," and that the title itself – paired with any other artist – would probably result in a side eye and a quip about done-to-death, cheese-pop metaphors.2009 November 17, Michael Slezak, “Kris Allen: A Track-by-track Analysis of His Self-titled Debut Album”, in Entertainment Weekly, New York, N.Y.: Entertainment Weekly, Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 03 Aug 2019:

4 more examples

[Billy] Squier's band makes a valiant effort to match his camp quotient, with lots of open shirts, exposed chest hair and sexy side-eyes to the camera.2010 January 12, Jennifer Cooke, “Billy Squier As a Revolutionary?”, in PopMatters, archived from the original on 03 Aug 2019:
The incredibly different ways [Bill] Clinton and [Monica] Lewinsky are treated even today makes a shockingly sad statement about how, 15 years of discussion of gender equality later – including the insertion of slut-shaming into the national dialogue as something you're not supposed to do – we can't even manage to divide our collective side-eyes evenly between men and women.2014 October 24, Jenée Desmond-Harris, “We Still Judge Monica Lewinsky More Harshly than Bill Clinton, and It’s Not Okay”, in Vox, archived from the original on 23 Jul 2019:
It was his side eye. He had the sexiest side eye she'd ever seen. He'd tip his head in that George Clooney kind of way and peer at you from beneath those thick lashes.2016, Jules Bennett, chapter 1, in His Secret Baby Bombshell (Dynasties: The Newports Series; book 4), Sydney, N.S.W.: Mills & Boon Desire, →ISBN:
Side-eye, that sidelong glance favored by shade queens like Mariah Carey [and] devil-may-care rebels like Rihanna, is finally being acknowledged in the canon [the Merriam–Webster Dictionary].2017 March 16, Cady Lang, “A Recent History of Notable Celebrity Side-Eye”, in Time, New York, N.Y.: Time Warner Publishing, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 Dec 2018:

side-eye

verb

Etymology

To look at out of the corner of one's eye, particularly with animosity, or in a judgmental or suspicious manner.

When I'm working my attention isn't caught straight ahead into the blinkered page, it's side eyeing whatever's peripheral, whatever's random.2003, Faye Kicknosway, “Hat Trick”, in Mixed Plate: New and Selected Poems (Wesleyan Poetry), Middletown, Conn.: Wesleyan University Press, →ISBN, page xiv:
When we fell out in front for the trek to breakfast, we side-eyed Walter when he walked out the door. Me looking to find some something. In his eyes. In his walk. In the pores of his skin. Some sign. Any sign.2004, Lee Stringer, chapter 20, in Sleepaway School: Stories from a Boy’s Life, New York, N.Y.: Seven Stories Press, →ISBN, page 119:

4 more examples

But I do have to side-eye the fact that the interviews w/ the Jacksons are being aired in between episodes that deal with men being molested as children…it seems like it was intentional and that ish ain’t cool.2010 November 2, “Liberian Girl” [pseudonym] (commenter), “Hot Shot: Oprah [Winfrey] Visits Michael Jackson’s Children”, in That Grape Juice.net, archived from the original on 25 May 2017:
The show went well. Not the best on the tour, not even the best in the past month, but it went off without a hitch, despite everyone on the crew side-eyeing Dan, looking for him to start acting strange again.2014, Z. Rider, chapter 7, in Ashley Davis, editor, Suckers: A Horror Novel, Erwin, Tenn.: Dark Ride Publishing, →ISBN, page 62:
Seven months after his poolside epiphany, the 26-year-old [Taylor Hall] is sitting on a couch at Newark's Prudential Center, slugging from a protein shake and side-eying NHL Network highlights on the television.2018 April 12, Alex Prewitt, “Taylor Hall Raises the Bar for Himself, Devils in MVP-Caliber Season”, in Sports Illustrated, New York, N.Y.: Meredith Corporation, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 15 Apr 2018:
"She'll be all right", says [Tionne] Watkins, side-eyeing [Rozonda] Thomas with a cat-like grin.2019 June 1, Nosheen Iqbal, “TLC: ‘I will never forget the day we were millionaires for five minutes’”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 10 Jul 2019:

Related terms: squint