stink eye

n. a facial expression of doubt, distrust, or dislike; a dirty look; skunk eye, the hairy eyeball. Subjects: English, Slang

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.’

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Citations: 1962 Dennis R. Dean English Journal (May) “Slang Is Language Too!” vol. 51, no. 5, p. 324: A dirty look is a stink eye. 1987 John Dreyfuss Los Angeles Times (Sept. 27) “‘Auntie Louise’: Liveliest Living Legend in Hawaii” p. 3: You know when you’re out of favor if she doesn’t give you a peck on the cheek after work.…If she doesn’t like you, she gives you the stink eye. 1992 [Leif Eric Johnson] Usenet: alt.surfing (Jan. 30) “Re: Only Surfing”: There had been a family of seven or eight dolpins cruising up and down the local beaches.…I paddled towards them (nothing violent or sudden, just an easy paddle out towards ‘em).…he Lead Dude (Bull?) stopped his up and down swimming style, and slowed down a bit, spearing me with stink-eye, and staying on the surface until the rest of the family went by. 1994 David Farber The 60’s: From Memory to History (Sept. 1) p. 299: The protestors seemed to give the same “stink eye” to both production and consumption, to the old virtues and the new values. 1995 Bill Adler Growing Up Asian American (Jan. 1) p. 82: Mrs. Vincente studies Joseph with what we called the “stink eye,” but he still didn’t cath on. She must have considered his behavior insubordinate. 2005 Julian E. Barnes @ Fallujah, Iraq U.S. News & World Report (June 18) “Iraq Journal: Filtering language in Fallujah”: The patrol had halted in a particularly unfriendly part of the city where the marines say they get “the stinkeye” a lot.

Posted 21 Jun 05 | Permalink | Tell a Friend