if looks could kill

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if looks could kill

A phrase said upon catching sight of someone's giving you a particularly nasty look of discontent or disapproval.

Etymology:

In chapter XVI of Bram Stoker's Dracula in a diary entry of Dr. Seward, he notes about the undead Lucy Westenra that "If ever a face meant death--if looks could kill--we saw it at that moment."
An ellipsis for an expression such as "If looks could kill, her look would have led to a murder of the person she was looking at."
A possible origin of the phrase comes from the legend of Medusa, who had the power to turn anyone who looked at her into stone.

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Collection Edit

Submitted on September 01, 2009

Translation

Find a translation for the if looks could kill phrase in other languages:

wenn Blicke töten könnten

se aspektoj povus mortigi

si las miradas mataran

اگر به نظر می رسید می تواند بکشد

si les regards pouvaient tuer

ha a tekintet megölhetne

se gli sguardi potessero uccidere

als blikken konden doden

hvis blikk kan drepe

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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to if looks could kill

i could have been a contender kill fish kill could not get elected dogcatcher could have, would have, should have i could eat a horse kill if all you have is a hammer, everything…dressed to kill kill in for the kill kill if it quacks like a duck, waddles like …kill

How to pronounce this phrase?

Alex
US English
David
US English
Mark
US English
Daniel
British
Libby
British
Mia
British
Karen
Australian
Hayley
Australian
Natasha
Australian
Veena
Indian
Priya
Indian
Neerja
Indian
Zira
US English
Oliver
British
Wendy
British
Fred
US English
Tessa
South African

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"if looks could kill." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Nov. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/if-looks-could-kill_4609>.

if looks could kill

Etymology:

Translation

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