crow's-feet
Definition
- Noun (plural: ):
- Wrinkles: "crow's-feet" refers to the small, fine wrinkles that appear at the outer corners of the eyes, resembling the shape of a bird's foot.
- Literary or figurative usage: In some contexts, "crow's-feet" can also describe similar patterns or markings that look like a bird's footprint.
Usage Examples
- (The wrinkles at the outer eye corners.)
- (The wrinkles are associated with age or expression.)
Advanced Usage
"to develop crow's-feet": to begin to show fine wrinkles at the eye corners, often due to aging or repeated facial expressions.
- After her fortieth birthday, she began to develop crow's-feet. (The wrinkles appeared as a natural part of aging.)
"crow's-feet" in art or description: used metaphorically to describe any pattern resembling a bird's claw marks.
- The map had crow's-feet-like lines indicating paths through the marsh. (Lines that look like bird footprints.)
Variants and Related Words
Crow's-foot (noun, singular): a single wrinkle or marking of this type.
- A single crow's-foot was visible at the corner of his left eye. (One fine wrinkle.)
Crow (noun): a large black bird; the base word in the compound.
- The crow's-feet are named for their resemblance to a crow's foot. (The origin of the term.)
Synonyms
- Wrinkles: fine lines on the skin caused by aging or expression.
- Laugh lines: a less formal term for crow's-feet, especially when associated with smiling.
- Expression lines: lines caused by repeated facial movements.
Related Idioms
- "Crow's-feet around the eyes": a common phrase to describe the specific location and appearance of these wrinkles.
- The crow's-feet around her eyes made her look wiser. (The wrinkles are seen as a sign of experience.)
Notes on Usage
- "Crow's-feet" is always used in the plural form when referring to the wrinkles around both eyes. The singular "crow's-foot" is rare but acceptable for a single wrinkle.
- The term is primarily used in cosmetic, medical, or descriptive contexts about aging.