Definition

1. Noun:
   • A mirror: "looking-glass" refers to a reflective surface, typically made of glass with a metallic coating, used for seeing one's own reflection.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • She stared into the looking-glass to check her hair. (She examined her reflection in the mirror.)
  • The antique looking-glass hung on the wall of the old house. (The decorative mirror was mounted on the wall.)

Advanced Usage

• "through the looking-glass": a phrase popularized by Lewis Carroll's , meaning a world where things are reversed or surreal.
  • The political situation seemed like a world through the looking-glass. (The situation appeared bizarre and upside-down.)

Variants and Related Words

• Looking-glass (adj): used to describe something related to or resembling a mirror.
  • The lake had a looking-glass surface, perfectly still and reflective. (The lake's surface was as smooth and reflective as a mirror.)

Synonyms

• Mirror: a smooth surface that reflects light to form an image.
• Glass: a general term for a reflective surface, often used in phrases like "looking glass."

Related Idioms

• "The looking-glass world": a situation where everything is the opposite of what is normal.
  • In this company, the rules are reversed; it's a looking-glass world. (The company operates in a topsy-turvy manner.)

Notes

• "Looking-glass" is an older or more literary term for "mirror." It is less common in modern everyday speech but still used in poetic or nostalgic contexts.