look daggers

present singular third person looks daggers · participle present looking daggers · participle past looked daggers · past looked daggers

1. intransitiveOften followed by at: to stare in a disapproving, severe, or threatening manner, especially without speaking.

   Both employers looked daggers at Kit, for the insult rankled; […]

   1912 October, Jack London, “The Meat”, in Smoke Bellew, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co, →OCLC, page 43

   2 more examples

   Before him set the grim baron, with a face worthy of the father of such a daughter, and looking daggers and rat's bane.

   1835, [Washington Irving], “Abbotsford”, in Abbotsford and Newstead Abbey (The Crayon Miscellany; no. 2), Philadelphia, Pa.: [Henry Charles] Carey, [Isaac] Lea, & Blanchard, →OCLC, pages 40–41

   Even before a waitress came up, two hostesses approached and looked daggers at Suzy and Teresa, both of whom glared back.

   1986, Stephen Coonts, chapter 9, in Flight of the Intruder, Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press, →ISBN, page 116

   Synonyms: glare daggers, shoot daggers, stare daggers