Meanings
phrase
- Used to characterize a look of strong hostility.
Origin
An anapodoton for an expression such as "If looks could kill, her look would have led to the death of the person she was looking at." A possible origin of the phrase comes from the legend of Medusa, who had the power to turn anyone who looked at her into stone.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 如果眼神可以杀人
- 如果眼神可以杀人Translations
Czech kdyby pohled mohl zabíjet
- kdyby pohled mohl zabíjetTranslations
Dutch als blikken konden doden
- als blikken konden dodenTranslations
Finnish jos katse voisi tappaa
- jos katse voisi tappaaTranslations
French si on pouvait tuer d'un simple regard
- si on pouvait tuer d'un simple regardTranslations
German wenn Blicke töten könnten
- wenn Blicke töten könntenTranslations
Japanese 見た目で人が殺せるのなら
- 見た目で人が殺せるのなら (mita me de hito ga koroseru no nara)Translations
Polish gdyby wzrok mógł zabijać
- gdyby wzrok mógł zabijaćTranslations
Portuguese se o/um olhar matasse
- se o/um olhar matasseTranslations
Russian е́сли бы взгля́дом мо́жно бы́ло уби́ть
- е́сли бы взгля́дом мо́жно бы́ло уби́ть (jésli by vzgljádom móžno býlo ubítʹ)Translations
Spanish si la mirada matara
- si la mirada mataraTranslations
Cite this entry
APA
if looks could kill. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/if%20looks%20could%20kill
MLA
“if looks could kill.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/if%20looks%20could%20kill. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “if looks could kill,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/if%20looks%20could%20kill.
Source: if looks could kill on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.