French word

écarquiller

Pronunciation

IPA/ekaʁkije/

Meaning

  • verbopen wide

Example

Les enfants ont écarquillé les yeux devant le gâteau.

The children opened their eyes wide at the cake.

Illustration for écarquiller (open wide)

More examples

Elle a écarquillé les yeux en entendant la nouvelle.

She opened her eyes wide when she heard the news.

Core concept

Eyelids stretched wide around a startled, fixed gaze.

Common phrases

  • écarquiller les yeux

    open one's eyes wide

Similar words

ouvrir: Open the eyelids to reveal the eyes.
cligner: Close and reopen the eyelids quickly.
fixer: Keep the gaze fixed steadily on one point.
s'étonner: Feel surprised by something unexpected.

Definition in French

Ouvrir très largement les paupières pour regarder, généralement par étonnement.

Word origin

Écarquiller is recorded in Old French as escarquiller, with the modern form resulting from historical spelling change.

Usage tips

  • Écarquiller normally takes a direct object, especially les yeux, while s'écarquiller describes eyes opening wide by themselves.

Opposites

  • fermercloseverb
  • plissersquintverb

Related words

  • écarquilléwide-eyedadjective

Word lists with this word