quizzical

comparative more quizzical · superlative most quizzical

1. Chiefly of a person's expression: suggesting (slight) confusion or puzzlement, especially in an amused manner; curious, questioning.

   Wolf Larsen pursed his lips in a long, quizzical whistle.

   1904, Jack London, chapter XIX, in The Sea-Wolf (Macmillan’s Standard Library), New York, N.Y.: Grosset & Dunlap, →OCLC, page 182

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   [H]e was able to pursue his physiognomical researches and to produce for his continued enlightenment a versatile repertory of frowns—the stern, the quizzical, the bitter, the treacherous, the bold, the agonized, the inquisitive, the ducal, and the frown of the husband who says: "I forgive you. Go!"

   1912 August 17, Booth Tarkington, “Mary Smith”, in The Fascinating Stranger and Other Stories, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1923, →OCLC, page 461

   Miss Moneypenny would have been desirable but for eyes which were cool and direct and quizzical.

   1953 April 13, Ian Fleming, “Number 007”, in Casino Royale, London: Pan Books, published 1965, →OCLC, page 23

   Her smile was but a quizzical jerk of one eyebrow; and uncoiling herself from the sofa as she talked, she kept making spasmodic dashes at three ashtrays and the near fender (where lay the brown core of an apple); whereupon she would sink back again, one leg folded under her.

   1955 September 15, Vladimir Nabokov, chapter 10, in Lolita, Paris: The Olympia Press […], →OCLC, page 39

   But I did see things that aren't yet quite right, and at which I raised a quizzical eyebrow.

   2022 July 27, Michael Holden, “In Praise of Crossrail 1 … and in Search of Crossrail 2”, in Rail, number 962, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 34

   Synonyms: enquiring, inquiring, quizzic

2. Characterized by bantering or joking; humorous, playful.

   But I am apt to grow too metaphysical: / "The time is out of joint,"—and so am I; / I quite forget this poem's merely quizzical, / And deviate into matters rather dry.

   1823 August 29, [Lord Byron], Don Juan. Cantos IX.—X.—and XI., London: […] [C. H. Reynell] for John Hunt, […], →OCLC, canto IX, stanza XLI, page 25

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   We might indeed in Christian charity believe the writers of this performance to be deep dealers in irony, to be men of that quizzical disposition of which the very solemnity is suspicious.

   1807 August, “Art[icle] VII.—Public Characters of 1807. 8vo. pp. 551. 10s. 6d. Phillips.”, in The Critical Review: Or, Annals of Literature, volume XI (3rd Series), number IV, London: […] J[oseph] Mawman, […]; [a]nd sold by J[ohn] Deighton, […]; Hanwell and Parker, and J[ohn] Cooke, […], →OCLC, page 383

   ["]And besides, Sir" added he with rather a quizzical expression of countenance, "I have the dignity of the priesthood to maintain. The mitre should never be worn by one who is not as ready to give as to receive, to spend as to earn."

   1825 October 28 (date written), D. [pseudonym], “A Visit to Annan, with Some Account of the Present High-priest of Gretna Green”, in The Edinburgh Magazine, and Literary Miscellany, being a New Series of the Scots Magazine, volume XVIII, part I (New Series; volume XCVII overall), Edinburgh: […] [J[ohn] Ruthven & Son] for Archibald Constable & Companyyear_published=January 1826, →OCLC, page 44, column 2

   "And what you have won is mine, sir," I said boldly. He favored me with a quizzical smile. "Hump, I have studied some grammar in my time, and I think your tenses are tangled. 'Was mine,' you should have said, not 'is mine.'"

   1904, Jack London, chapter VIII, in The Sea-Wolf (Macmillan’s Standard Library), New York, N.Y.: Grosset & Dunlap, →OCLC, page 78

   Synonyms: jocose

3. Scornfully mocking; sardonic, sneering.

   1 more example

   During the last twenty years, Mr. Weeks at the Bush tavern, in the city, has annually, at Christmas, provided a larder furnished more abundantly and with greater variety, than perhaps any other tavern in ths kingdom could have shewn; but this year, owing to the great pressure of the times, we understand, he prudently declines to make his accustomed exhibition.—Hence one of our quizzical correspondents remarks, that this is the age for producing fat beasts and lean men!

   1800 December, “Feast of Wit; or, Sportsman’s Hall”, in The Sporting Magazine; or, Monthly Calendar, of the Transactions of the Turf, the Chase, and Every Other Diversion Interesting to the Man of Pleasure, Enterprize and Spirit, volume XVII, number 99, London: […] [William Justins] for the proprietors; and sold by J[ohn] Wheble, […], published 1801, →OCLC, page 140, column 1

   Synonyms: quizzacious, satirical

4. archaicEccentric, odd, strange.

   VVe vvell knovv indeed that obedience to ſuperiors is covvardly—reſpect to decency, quizzical—that tutors are not to be minded, or tradeſmen paid—that attention is flat—virtue a bore, and learning the devil.

   1789 June 6, [James Austen], editor, The Loiterer, […], volume I, number XIX, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] [F]or the author, and sold by C[harles] S[elwin?] Rann, […], published 1790, →OCLC, page 11

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   And if thou, gentle Freſhman, haſt any ſeeds of this truly venerable character ſpringing up in thy boſom, I cannot give thee a ſtronger criterion of it than thy indignation excited at my d[amne]d quizzical obſervations, and thy ſincere and hearty vviſhes that thou hadſt the horſe-vvhipping of the Author, […]

   1785, a Questionist [pseudonym], Ten Minutes Advice to Freshmen, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] J[ohn] Archdeacon printer to the University [of Cambridge]; for J[ohn] Deighton, […], →OCLC, pages 35–36

   Synonyms: quizzish, quizzy