look through one's fingers

verb

To deliberately ignore, overlook, or turn a blind eye to someone's mistake or misconduct, rather than taking corrective action.

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Meanings

verblook through one's fingers (third-person singular simple present looks through one's fingers, present participle looking through one's fingers, simple past and past participle looked through one's fingers)

present singular third person looks through one's fingers · participle present looking through one's fingers · participle past looked through one's fingers · past looked through one's fingers

  1. idiomaticinformalTo deliberately ignore, overlook, or turn a blind eye to someone's mistake or misconduct, rather than taking corrective action.
Cite this entry
APA

look through one's fingers. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/look%20through%20one's%20fingers

MLA

“look through one's fingers.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/look%20through%20one's%20fingers. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “look through one's fingers,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/look%20through%20one's%20fingers.

Source: look through one's fingers on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.