Word to the Wise: Gimlet Eye

A "gimlet" (GIM-let) is a small hand tool with a pointed spiral tip, used for boring holes in wood. We use the phrase "gimlet eye" for a sharp or piercing look.

Example (as used in a review of Claim of Privilege by Barry Siegel in The Atlantic Monthly): "[Siegel] turns his gimlet eye on a 60-year-old imbroglio."

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