cock-eye

A child with a cock-eye looks at a picture book.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A squinting or cross-eyed condition: "cock-eye" refers to a visual condition where one eye is misaligned, causing it to look in a different direction from the other eye. This is a colloquial or informal term.
   • A person with such a condition: Informally, it can also refer to a person who has a squint or cross-eye.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • He was born with a cock-eye that made it difficult for him to focus. (A physical misalignment of one eye.)
  • The old sailor had a cock-eye from a childhood injury. (A permanent misalignment of one eye.)

Advanced Usage

• "to have a cock-eye": to possess a squint or cross-eyed appearance.

  • She has a slight cock-eye, but it doesn't affect her vision much. (A minor misalignment.)

• "cock-eyed" (adjective): This is a more common form, meaning not only physically cross-eyed but also figuratively absurd, foolish, or not straight.

  • That's a cock-eyed plan — it will never work. (Figuratively: a foolish or illogical plan.)
  • He gave me a cock-eyed grin. (A grin with a crooked or misaligned look.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cock-eyed (adj): having a squint; also means absurd or ridiculous.

  • The picture on the wall is cock-eyed; it's hanging crooked. (Not straight.)
  • His cock-eyed ideas about business led to failure. (Foolish or nonsensical ideas.)

• Cockeye (n): alternate spelling of "cock-eye".

  • The doctor said his cockeye could be corrected with surgery. (The same condition.)

Synonyms

• Squint: a condition where the eyes do not align properly.
• Cross-eye: a condition where one or both eyes turn inward.
• Strabismus: the medical term for misaligned eyes.

Related Idioms

• "cock-eyed optimist": a person who is unreasonably or naively optimistic.

  • Even after losing his job, he remained a cock-eyed optimist about his future. (An excessively hopeful person.)

• "knock someone cock-eyed": to hit someone so hard that they become disoriented or stunned.

  • The punch knocked him cock-eyed for a moment. (Stunned or dazed.)

Additional Notes

• This word is informal and often considered old-fashioned or slang. In modern medical contexts, "strabismus" is the preferred term.