subs. (old).—1. In pl. the eyes. Also OGLERS. Hence, QUEER-OGLED = squinting; RUM OGLES = bright or piercing eyes.
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. OGLES. The Gentry Mort has rum OGLES, that Lady has charming black eyes.
1706. CENTLIVRE, Love at a Venture, iv. 1 [Works (1872), i. 295]. Flor. Why, what do you fear? Rob. Those pinking OGLES of thine.
1706. WARD, Hudibras Redivivus, I. pt. vi. 25.
| He rowl’d his OGLES with a Grace | |
| Becoming so a zealous Face. |
1748. T. DYCHE, A New General English Dictionary. OGLES in the Cant. Language, are the eyes.
1735. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.
1819. T. MOORE, Tom Crib’s Memorial to Congress, 51. Round lugs and OGLES flew the frequent fist.
1821. D. HAGGART, Life, ‘Glossary,’ 172. s.v. OGLERS.
1827. P. EGAN, Anecdotes of the Turf, 67. Never again would he put the OGLES of the ring in mourning.
1839. W. H. AINSWORTH, Jack Sheppard, I. ii. It does sparkle almost as brightly as your OGLES.
1846. Punch’s Almanack, Nov. Remarks. Fiery links gleam through the unfiltered air, and in their transit sputter hot pitch on the fog-bound traveller! Let Snodgrass beware! An adverse torch threatens his dexter OGLE!
1853. REV. E. BRADLEY (‘Cuthbert Bede’), The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green, an Oxford Freshman. That ’ll raise a tidy mouse on your OGLE, my lad.
1853. THACKERAY, Barry Lyndon, vi. A little brown, bright-eyed creature, whose OGLES had made the greatest impression upon all the world.
2. (common).—An ocular invitation or consent, side glance, or amorous look. Whence OGLING = an amorous look.
1704. CIBBER, The Careless Husband, iii. 1. Nay, nay, none of your parting OGLES. Will you go?
1710. CONGREVE, Song to Celia. Those OGLINGS that tell you my passion.
d. 1719. ADDISON, The Fortune Hunter. When an heiress sees a man throwing particular graces into his OGLE … she ought to look to herself.
1719. D’URFEY, Wit and Mirth; or Pills to Purge Melancholy, i. 43.
| To OAGLE there a Tory tall, or a little Whig, | |
| Defying the Pretender. |
1751. FIELDING, Amelia, XI. iii. He immediately laid siege in form, setting himself down in a lodging directly opposite to her, from whence the battery of OGLES began to play the very next morning.
1818. BYRON, Beppo, XVI. For glances beget OGLES, OGLES sighs.
c. 1820. MAHER, Death of Socrates. With the mots their OGLES throwing.
1892. MILLIKEN, ’Arry Ballads, 37. They ain’t in it with OGLES and antics and ’ints.
Verb. (common).—1. To look amorously; to make SHEEP’S EYES (q.v.).—B. E. (c. 1696).
1712. POPE, The Rape of the Lock, v. 23. To patch, to OGLE, may become a saint.
1719. D’URFEY, Wit and Mirth; or Pills to Purge Melancholy, ii. 97.
| When Tiptoes are in fashion, and Loons will jump and play, | |
| Then he too takes occasion to leer and OGLE me. |
1775. SHERIDAN, The Rivals, ii. 1. I will make you OGLE her all day, and sit up all night, to write sonnets on her beauty.
d. 1800. COWPER, Pairing Time Anticipated. Dick heard, and tweedling, OGLING, bridling.
1834. M. G. DOWLING, Othello Travestie, i. 3.
| And if she shall confess she first began | |
| To throw sheep’s eyes, and OGLE at the man. |
2. (colloquial).—To examine; to consider.
1836. M. SCOTT, Tom Cringle’s Log. I perceived that she first OGLED the superscription, and then the seal, very ominously.
3. (thieves’).—To look.
1821. D. HAGGART, Life, 62. Seeing a cove OGLING the yelpers.
1842. P. EGAN, Captain Macheath, ‘The By-blow of the Jug.’
| Jack had a sharp-looking eye to OGLE, | |
| And soon he began to nap the fogle! |
