evil eye

evil eye

1. The power believed by the superstitious to inflict harm, injury, or misfortune by a look or stare. They say that the old lady living in the house at the end of the road has an evil eye—if she catches you in her gaze, you'll be cursed with bad luck for a year!
2. A hateful, malicious, or villainous look or stare that suggests or is thought to be capable of inflicting harm or misfortune. I saw him giving me the evil eye, so I turned around and walked the other way.
See also: evil, eye
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

evil eye

The power to cause injury or misfortune, as in The tomatoes died shortly after planting-I must have an evil eye. The source of this expression is the ancient superstitious belief that some individuals could inflict harm on others simply by looking at them. Today the term is generally used figuratively or ironically, as above, and also in the form give someone the evil eye, which means "glare malevolently at someone." For example, Helen gave his cat the evil eye, hoping it would stay out of her garden. [Late 1300s]
See also: evil, eye
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

the evil eye

The evil eye is a harmful magical force that is given by looking at someone. Some people said an evil eye had been put on her.
See also: evil, eye
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

the evil eye

a gaze or stare superstitiously believed to cause harm.
See also: evil, eye
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

evil eye, the

The power of being able to inflict harm at a glance. This age-old superstition—the Roman poet Virgil speaks of it bewitching lambs—is in modern times expressed figuratively and sometimes ironically. Edward Bulwer-Lytton used it in The Last Days of Pompeii (1834): “‘He certainly possesses the gift of the evil eye,’ said Clodius of Arbaces the Egyptian.” As for a modern jocular example: “Where house plants are concerned, I seem to have the evil eye.”
See also: evil
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • evil eye, the
  • the evil eye
  • give (one) the evil eye
  • give somebody the evil eye
  • give someone the evil eye
  • go hard with
  • go hard with (someone)
  • Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, the
  • rabbit, rabbit(, rabbit)
  • give hostage to fortune
References in periodicals archive
Next time the evil eye lot catch me, they might film me waving some twigs or smoking sage at them.
Daylight robbery by the evil eye; It's a funny old world
Belief in the evil eye is strongest in West Asia, Latin America, East and West Africa, Central America, South Asia, Central Asia and Europe.
Is someone giving you the evil eye?
It means damage on the people and products when they experience praising of somebody and some people believe that evil eye is not harmful and it means result of kindness and praising.
Witchcraft and its types in the Nizami's Khamsa (Quintet)
The evil eye may have been introduced into Jewish thought by Talmudic authorities exposed to Babylonian culture, according to Joshua Trachtenberg, the late author of Jewish Magic and Superstition: A Study in Folk Religion.
Who's afraid of the evil eye?
Dr Aubel writes that he has also encountered a case of the "evil eye" during his ministerial career: "This is an ancient belief in the existence of a malevolent power in the glance of some people, which is almost invariably provoked by envy or jealousy.
Minister claims witchcraft 'thriving across West Wales' MEMOIR TELLS OF EXORCIST HAVING TO LIFT WITCH'S CURSE
I have found the policy of anonymity helpful in alleviating anxiety among some Italian Americans who worried that professing a belief in the evil eye could open them up to a reprimand from the parish priest or ridicule from members of the larger society.
Ethnicity, nostalgia affirmation: the rhetoric of Italian American identity
The "evil eye", or "llygad drwg" or "llygad mall" (as it can be named in Welsh), is a prehistoric belief in the existence of a malefic power in the glance of some people.
Do you know of the evil eye? VIEWPOINTS
Julius Caesar, Oliver Cromwell, Napoleon Bonaparte, Adolph Hitler, Sadaam Hussein, and the Biblical Og of Balshaam are among those believed to have possessed the 'Evil Eye.' A story from the 'Thousand Nights and One Night' tells of the misery caused by the curse of a sorcerer with the 'Evil Eye:
The evil eye
Ballout transports furniture and says the most important thing to him is to combat "the evil eye" because "greedy people always wish you death and poverty."
Truck drivers use vehicles to convey words of wisdom
And, she believes her own 'evil eye' designs and hamsa - a palm-shaped amulet popular throughout the Arab world - help provide protection against those wishing ill-fortune or showing envy towards those with talent.
An eye for design and inspiration
families gave us the evil eye. It wasn't just a game to us.
Easy Out
Summary: Ancient Egypt's stunning eye make-up not only shielded wearers from the dark deeds of the evil eye, but also protected them against eye disease, French scientists said.
Cleopatra's make-up cured eye disease as well
AUSTRALIA: A churchgoer accused of sexually assaulting a woman during prayer sessions meant to lift a black magic curse on her was refused bail yesterday.A magistrate described the allegations against 61-year-old Sydney man Tony Golossian as "bizarre and evil" and refused him bail.He has been charged with more than 150 offences dating from 2001 to 2005.New South Wales police alleged the woman appr-oached Golossian, who claimed to be a member of the Coptic Orthodox church, for spiritual cleansing bel-ieving she had been cursed.Police alleged she was blindfolded and sexually assaulted at "prayer sessions" that took place at various hotels around western Sydney.Golossian and another man, 38, are accused of charging her up to $56,000 to remove this "evil eye".
AaeSex assaultAAE at prayers
Yet the Rowan has a mystic side Of which I now will tell, Gives protection from the evil eye And negates the witch's spell.
The Rowan Tree; Poet's corner
Some of Annoushka's family customs and beliefs inspired the new range Watch Over Me which features the evil eye design.
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