Dictionary

roll one's eyes en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) To deliberately turn one's eyes upwards, usually to indicate disapproval, indifference or frustration.
   • […]when these three men looked at the porter, they saw that he was intoxicated; and, observing him narrowly, they thought that he was one of their own class, and said, He is a mendicant like ourselves, and will amuse us by his conversation:—but the porter, hearing what they said, arose, and rolled his eyes, and exclaimed to them, Sit quiet, and abstain from impertinent remarks. 1859, Edward William Lane, Edward Stanley Poole, The Thousand and One Nights:
   • Woebot was full of tasks and tricks — little mental health hacks — which at first made me roll my eyes. One day Woebot asked me to press an ice cube to my forehead, to feel the sensation as a way of better connecting with my body. 2022 September 27, Barclay Bram, “My Therapist, the Robot”, in The New York Times:
   • Once again, the WiFi isn't willing to work. When the guard comes to check tickets, I ask him if it ever works. He rolls his eyes and tells me it rarely does. He says I'll be lucky if I get it to connect. I give up trying. 2025 October 15, 'Mystery Shopper', “About Anglia... and high scores”, in RAIL, number 1046, page 54:
2. (archaic, idiomatic) As definition 1, but indicating flirtation or desire.

Forms

Translations (27)

fi pyörittää silmiään (turn one's eyes upwards) · tr göz devirmek (turn one's eyes upwards) · it alzare gli occhi al cielo (turn one's eyes upwards) · fr lever les yeux au ciel (turn one's eyes upwards) · mi whakatīkorokoro (turn one's eyes upwards) · pl przewrócić oczami (turn one's eyes upwards) · is ranghvolfa í sér augunum (turn one's eyes upwards) · gl poñer os ollos en branco (turn one's eyes upwards) · es poner los ojos en albo (turn one's eyes upwards) · es poner los ojos en blanco (turn one's eyes upwards) · es tornar los ojos en albo (turn one's eyes upwards) · sv himla med ögonen (turn one's eyes upwards) · ar أَدَارَ عَيْنَيْهِ (turn one's eyes upwards) · ko 눈을 굴리다 (turn one's eyes upwards) · ru зака́тывать глаза́ (turn one's eyes upwards) · pl przewracać oczami (turn one's eyes upwards) · ar بَرَمَ عَيْنَيْهِ (turn one's eyes upwards) · tl tumaray (turn one's eyes upwards) · de die Augen rollen (turn one's eyes upwards) · pt revirar os olhos (turn one's eyes upwards) · ru закати́ть глаза́ (turn one's eyes upwards) · ja グリグリする (turn one's eyes upwards) · ja ぐりぐりする (turn one's eyes upwards) · ja 白目を向く (turn one's eyes upwards) · cmn 翻白眼 (turn one's eyes upwards) · es voltear los ojos (turn one's eyes upwards) · cmn 眼珠一轉 /眼珠一转 (turn one's eyes upwards)