stink eye n. a facial expression of doubt, distrust, or dislike; a dirty look; skunk eye, the hairy eyeball. Etymological Note: There is inconclusive evidence that this term originated in Hawaii and spread through beach sports such as surfing and volleyball. In Hawaiian stink eye would translate as maka pilau, which, according to the Hawaiian Dictionary at the Hawaiian Electronic Library, exists as a term meaning ‘rotten eyes, one with rotten eyes, a ghost.’ (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Jim in Columbia, South Carolina, has noticed sportscasters’ use of the phrase on the season with reference to a period of time. This construction shows up in the sports pages as early as the 1880s, first referring to a team’s revenue and...
In the 15th century, the word respair meant “to have hope again.” Although this word fell out of use, it’s among dozens collected in a new book of soothing vocabulary for troubled times. Plus, baseball slang: If a batter...