Meaning
What does Gimlet-Eyed mean?
Gimlet-eyed is a popular idiomatic expression, referring to a piercing look of distrust, with a knack of finding missing details and hidden deception.
A person may be “Gimlet-eyed” if they give voice to life advice like Trust Nobody, Not Even Yourself.
Origin
What's the origin of Gimlet-Eyed?
The origin of the phrase “Gimlet-eyed” may be traced back to the mid-1700’s.
Gimlet itself is a tiny tool, with a pointy end, used for drilling and boring holes.
Documented cases of “Gimlet-eyed”, appearing in print on several accounts can be found as far back as the 1810’s, including books and magazines.
Spread & Usage
How did Gimlet-Eyed spread?
Although “Gimlet-eyed” was once a popular and widely recognized expression, going strong well into the 20th century, today it is less known, appearing in a handful of cases every year, despite the massive amount of content generated online annually.
It was first defined on Urban Dictionary on March 16th, 2005.