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wall-eyed (adj.)

c. 1300, wawil-eghed, wolden-eiged, "having very light-colored eyes," also "having parti-colored eyes," from Old Norse vagl-eygr "having speckled eyes," from vagl "speck in the eye; beam, upper cross-beam, chicken-roost, perch," from Proto-Germanic *walgaz, from PIE *wogh-lo-, suffixed form of root *wegh- "to go, move, transport in a vehicle." The prehistoric sense evolution would be from "weigh" to "lift," to "hold, support." Meaning "having one or both eyes turned out" (and thus showing much white) is first recorded 1580s.

also from c. 1300
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Trends of wall-eyed

updated on March 30, 2022

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