Goggle
noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Definitions
- 1 A wide-eyed stare or affected rolling of the eye.
"Come and have a goggle at Fauzia’s new car!"
- 2 A pair of protective eyeglasses. in-plural
- 1 To stare (at something) with wide eyes.
"[...] she frowned a displeased frown and told me for heaven's sake to stop goggling like a dead halibut. [...] She left me fogged and groping for the inner meaning, and I could see from Aunt Dahlia's goggling eyes that the basic idea hadn't got across with her either. [...] I didn't want to be hampered by an audience. When you're pushing someone into a lake, nothing embarrasses you more than having the front seats filled up with goggling spectators."
- 2 look with amazement; look stupidly wordnet
- 3 To roll the eyes.
"Inflam’d all over with Disgrace, / To be seen by her in such a Place; / Which made him hang his Head, and scoul, / And wink, and goggle like an Owl"
Example
More examples"[...] she frowned a displeased frown and told me for heaven's sake to stop goggling like a dead halibut. [...] She left me fogged and groping for the inner meaning, and I could see from Aunt Dahlia's goggling eyes that the basic idea hadn't got across with her either. [...] I didn't want to be hampered by an audience. When you're pushing someone into a lake, nothing embarrasses you more than having the front seats filled up with goggling spectators."
Etymology
From 14th century Middle English gogelen (“to roll (eyes), to look sideways”). Earlier source is unknown. The noun is attested from the 17th century. Compare Irish gog (“a nod, a slight motion”).
Related phrases
More for "goggle"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.