Forum newsfeeds 
|  | | Notices | You are welcome to answer questions posted in the Ask a Teacher forum as long as your suggestions, help, and advice reflect a good understanding of the English language. If you are not a teacher, you will need to state that clearly at the top of your post. Please note, all posts are moderated by our in-house language experts, so make sure your suggestions, help, and advice house the kind of information an international language teacher would offer. If not, and your posts do not contribute to the topic in a positive way, they will be subject to deletion. | 
27-Apr-2008, 20:08
| | Junior Member | | Join Date: Sep 2007 Country: Brazil
Posts: 69
Current Location: Rio de Janeiro First Language: Portuguese Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
| |  Eyeball at me?
Hello amigos!
Jane had eyeballed at me during the dinner-party.
What does this verb mean? the same as "stared at me"?
Thanks,
Sam |
27-Apr-2008, 20:52
|  | VIP Member | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Country: USA
Posts: 8,550
Current Location: Tucson, Arizona First Language: North American English Thanks: 554
Thanked 554 Times in 481 Posts
| |  Re: Eyeball at me?
Quote:
Originally Posted by sambistapt  Hello amigos!
Jane had eyeballed at me during the dinner-party.
What does this verb mean? the same as "stared at me"?
Thanks,
Sam | Common usage would be: "Jane eyeballed me during the dinner party."
Yes, it means the same as 'stared at me'.
Cheers,
Amigo |
27-Apr-2008, 22:16
|  | Senior Member | | Join Date: Apr 2006 Country: Poland
Posts: 1,073
Current Location: Swindon, England First Language: Polish Thanks: 8
Thanked 152 Times in 145 Posts
| |  Re: Eyeball at me?
Quote:
Originally Posted by sambistapt Hello amigos!
Jane had eyeballed at me during the dinner-party.
What does this verb mean? the same as "stared at me"?
Thanks,
Sam | When it comes to dealing with verbs that are transitive, at means direct something at somebody or something else, and doesn't state the same in the following sentences: Jane had eyeballed at me during the dinner-party. (= she directed her eyes at me; implying a number of times when it happened) Jane had eyeballed me during the dinner-party. (= she looked at me thoroughly; implication of one complete action)
It can also imply that somebody succeeded in doing something, Little Joe kicked the ball (and scored), or that somebody was just trying to be successful at doing something, Little Joe kicked at the ball (but he fell and didn't score).  |
27-Apr-2008, 23:51
| | Moderator | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Country: UK
Posts: 14,094
Current Location: UK First Language: English Thanks: 2
Thanked 2,519 Times in 2,369 Posts
| | Re: Eyeball at me?
However, there is no structure "eyeball at something/someone".
You eyeball someone = stare at them in a confrontational manner. |
28-Apr-2008, 08:59
| | Senior Member | | Join Date: Apr 2006 Country: Poland
Posts: 1,073
Current Location: Swindon, England First Language: Polish Thanks: 8
Thanked 152 Times in 145 Posts
| | Re: Eyeball at me?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anglika However, there is no structure "eyeball at something/someone". | You could also say that there is no such structure like kick at somebody/something. Well, even if you can't find it in a dictionary, you should know that such a construction is possible.  |
28-Apr-2008, 09:39
|  | Senior Member | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Country: England
Posts: 1,302
Current Location: France First Language: English Thanks: 81
Thanked 577 Times in 512 Posts
| | Re: Eyeball at me?
Quote:
Originally Posted by engee30 You could also say that there is no such structure like kick at somebody/something. Well, even if you can't find it in a dictionary, you should know that such a construction is possible. | I agree with Anglika, there is no structure to "eyeball at" s,thing, however there is such a structure with the verb "to kick" ; "to kick at", "to kick out at" |
28-Apr-2008, 09:47
| | Senior Member | | Join Date: Apr 2006 Country: Poland
Posts: 1,073
Current Location: Swindon, England First Language: Polish Thanks: 8
Thanked 152 Times in 145 Posts
| | Re: Eyeball at me?
Quote:
Originally Posted by bhaisahab I agree with Anglika, there is no structure to "eyeball at" s,thing, however there is such a structure with the verb "to kick" ; "to kick at", "to kick out at" | Take me at my word - kick out at somebody/something is not the same as kick at somebody/something.  |
28-Apr-2008, 11:16
| | Member | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Country: England
Posts: 102
Current Location: Wakefield, Yorkshire First Language: English Thanks: 0
Thanked 32 Times in 32 Posts
| | Re: Eyeball at me?
It's an awful expression, slang and probably invented by someone who had not heard of the word stare.
Whether or not you say kick or kick at, you don't say foot the ball, or foot at the ball.
Kick is what you do with your foot, stare is what you do with your eye(ball) | | The Following User Says Thank You to Uncle M For This Useful Post: | | | Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes |  Linear Mode | 
Posting Rules
| You may post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off | | | All times are GMT. The time now is 04:40. | |
