look daggers

An allusion to a look being so fierce as to be able to injure the person looked at like a dagger.^[1]

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌlʊk ˈdæɡəz/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌlʊk ˈdæɡɚz/

• Audio (US):

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• Hyphenation: look dag‧gers

look daggers (third-person singular simple present looks daggers, present participle looking daggers, simple past and past participle looked daggers)

1. (intransitive) Often followed by at: to stare in a disapproving, severe, or threatening manner, especially without speaking.

   Synonyms: glare daggers, shoot daggers, stare daggers

   • 1835, [Washington Irving], “Abbotsford”, in Abbotsford and Newstead Abbey (The Crayon Miscellany; no. 2), Philadelphia, Pa.: [Henry Charles] Carey, [Isaac] Lea, & Blanchard, →OCLC, pages 40–41:

     Before him set the grim baron, with a face worthy of the father of such a daughter, and looking daggers and rat's bane.

   • 1912 October, Jack London, “The Meat”, in Smoke Bellew, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co, →OCLC, page 43:

     Both employers looked daggers at Kit, for the insult rankled; […]

   • 1986, Stephen Coonts, chapter 9, in Flight of the Intruder, Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press, →ISBN, page 116:

     Even before a waitress came up, two hostesses approached and looked daggers at Suzy and Teresa, both of whom glared back.

• dirty look
• evil eye
• if looks could kill