looking-glass
Definition
- 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.