What does the phrase “cross your eyes” mean in this context?
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up vote
7
down vote
favorite
Here is the sentence:
"Just cross your eyes a little and it would be impossible for you to tell the difference between this and televised football."
The sentence is from a game app's description.
Let me make the context clearer. The sentence is about a game update that makes the mobile play so realistic that one cannot differentiate between the game and the real football.
meaning-in-context
edited yesterday
Fattie
9,84122353
asked 2 days ago
seeeker
3573516
add a comment |
up vote
7
down vote
favorite
Here is the sentence:
"Just cross your eyes a little and it would be impossible for you to tell the difference between this and televised football."
The sentence is from a game app's description.
Let me make the context clearer. The sentence is about a game update that makes the mobile play so realistic that one cannot differentiate between the game and the real football.
meaning-in-context
edited yesterday
Fattie
9,84122353
asked 2 days ago
seeeker
3573516
1
The definition you posted of "cross your eyes" is wrong. That's probably the source of your confusion.
– Brennan Vincent
2 days ago
I edited out the totally incorrect definition, to avoid further massive confusion.
– Fattie
yesterday
@Fattie: I think the edit changes the OP's intent. I am pretty sure the OP was wondering how squinting would help a video game appear to be a live game. My edit merely quoted the OP's link. My answer attempts to address the misunderstanding.
– jxh
yesterday
add a comment |
up vote
7
down vote
favorite
up vote
7
down vote
favorite
Here is the sentence:
"Just cross your eyes a little and it would be impossible for you to tell the difference between this and televised football."
The sentence is from a game app's description.
Let me make the context clearer. The sentence is about a game update that makes the mobile play so realistic that one cannot differentiate between the game and the real football.
meaning-in-context
edited yesterday
Fattie
9,84122353
asked 2 days ago
seeeker
3573516
Here is the sentence:
"Just cross your eyes a little and it would be impossible for you to tell the difference between this and televised football."
The sentence is from a game app's description.
Let me make the context clearer. The sentence is about a game update that makes the mobile play so realistic that one cannot differentiate between the game and the real football.
meaning-in-context
meaning-in-context
edited yesterday
Fattie
9,84122353
asked 2 days ago
seeeker
3573516
edited yesterday
Fattie
9,84122353
asked 2 days ago
seeeker
3573516
edited yesterday
Fattie
9,84122353
edited yesterday
Fattie
9,84122353
edited yesterday
Fattie
9,84122353
9,84122353
asked 2 days ago
seeeker
3573516
asked 2 days ago
seeeker
3573516
asked 2 days ago
seeeker
3573516
3573516
1
The definition you posted of "cross your eyes" is wrong. That's probably the source of your confusion.
– Brennan Vincent
2 days ago
I edited out the totally incorrect definition, to avoid further massive confusion.
– Fattie
yesterday
@Fattie: I think the edit changes the OP's intent. I am pretty sure the OP was wondering how squinting would help a video game appear to be a live game. My edit merely quoted the OP's link. My answer attempts to address the misunderstanding.
– jxh
yesterday
add a comment |
1
The definition you posted of "cross your eyes" is wrong. That's probably the source of your confusion.
– Brennan Vincent
2 days ago
I edited out the totally incorrect definition, to avoid further massive confusion.
– Fattie
yesterday
@Fattie: I think the edit changes the OP's intent. I am pretty sure the OP was wondering how squinting would help a video game appear to be a live game. My edit merely quoted the OP's link. My answer attempts to address the misunderstanding.
– jxh
yesterday
1
1
The definition you posted of "cross your eyes" is wrong. That's probably the source of your confusion.
– Brennan Vincent
2 days ago
The definition you posted of "cross your eyes" is wrong. That's probably the source of your confusion.
– Brennan Vincent
2 days ago
I edited out the totally incorrect definition, to avoid further massive confusion.
– Fattie
yesterday
I edited out the totally incorrect definition, to avoid further massive confusion.
– Fattie
yesterday
@Fattie: I think the edit changes the OP's intent. I am pretty sure the OP was wondering how squinting would help a video game appear to be a live game. My edit merely quoted the OP's link. My answer attempts to address the misunderstanding.
– jxh
yesterday
@Fattie: I think the edit changes the OP's intent. I am pretty sure the OP was wondering how squinting would help a video game appear to be a live game. My edit merely quoted the OP's link. My answer attempts to address the misunderstanding.
– jxh
yesterday
add a comment |
4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
up vote
17
down vote
Crossing your eyes makes it harder to see clearly. This usage means unless you are paying close attention to the differences between the two things, you won't notice them.
I haven't heard this expression used before, but in my personal experience, I have heard people say "if you squint hard enough..."
answered 2 days ago
Stewart
3187
New contributor
Stewart is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
3
For what it's worth, squinting has the opposite effect. You would say, "If you squint hard enough you can tell the difference between this and televised football."
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
4
@JasonBassford usually it's used as "X looks like Y if you squint", which is indeed comparable to the eye-crossing analogy.
– Ketura
2 days ago
1
@Ketura To be clear, crossing your eyes and squinting are not the same thing—although the two are used in a syntactically similar fashion in the example of this question and answer. Crossing your eyes blurs your vision, meaning you can't see the difference; meanwhile, squinting sharpens your vision, meaning you can see the difference. You would not normally say X looks like Y if you squint. Rather X looks like Y when you don't squint because you can't distinguish between the two. Instead, you would simply say You can make out X if you squint.
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
add a comment |
up vote
2
down vote
I have not personally encountered the usage of cross your eyes to mean squinting as indicated in your linked reference. I had always heard it used to mean making your eyes appear to be crossed. The condition esotropia is commonly referred to as being cross-eyed:
Esotropia is a form of strabismus in which one or both eyes turns inward. The condition can be constantly present, or occur intermittently, and can give the affected individual a "cross-eyed" appearance.
Wikipedia
You can usually accomplish crossing your eyes by trying to focus your eyes on the tip of your nose.
In addition to a funny looking face, you could get double vision, or lose focus, or something else, and thus have trouble seeing things clearly.
answered 2 days ago
jxh
9,0701547
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
I remember seeing the expression "screwed her eyes tight" with the meaning that you're after here.
I would personally rewrite the sentence to something like
"You'll actually mistake this for televised football if you don't pay enough attention".
answered 2 days ago
Mikael Brenner
111
New contributor
Mikael Brenner is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
It's that, when you cross your eyes, you lose depth perception. The comment is the equivalent of saying "It's almost like watching in HD;" or, in other words, it's not quite as good visually, but could be if you lower your standards.
As far as I'm aware, it's not a colloquial phrase anywhere in the US or GB, so whoever said this to you probably missed the intended purpose.
answered yesterday
wahwahwah
1215
add a comment |
4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
17
down vote
Crossing your eyes makes it harder to see clearly. This usage means unless you are paying close attention to the differences between the two things, you won't notice them.
I haven't heard this expression used before, but in my personal experience, I have heard people say "if you squint hard enough..."
answered 2 days ago
Stewart
3187
New contributor
Stewart is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
3
For what it's worth, squinting has the opposite effect. You would say, "If you squint hard enough you can tell the difference between this and televised football."
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
4
@JasonBassford usually it's used as "X looks like Y if you squint", which is indeed comparable to the eye-crossing analogy.
– Ketura
2 days ago
1
@Ketura To be clear, crossing your eyes and squinting are not the same thing—although the two are used in a syntactically similar fashion in the example of this question and answer. Crossing your eyes blurs your vision, meaning you can't see the difference; meanwhile, squinting sharpens your vision, meaning you can see the difference. You would not normally say X looks like Y if you squint. Rather X looks like Y when you don't squint because you can't distinguish between the two. Instead, you would simply say You can make out X if you squint.
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
add a comment |
up vote
17
down vote
Crossing your eyes makes it harder to see clearly. This usage means unless you are paying close attention to the differences between the two things, you won't notice them.
I haven't heard this expression used before, but in my personal experience, I have heard people say "if you squint hard enough..."
answered 2 days ago
Stewart
3187
New contributor
Stewart is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
3
For what it's worth, squinting has the opposite effect. You would say, "If you squint hard enough you can tell the difference between this and televised football."
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
4
@JasonBassford usually it's used as "X looks like Y if you squint", which is indeed comparable to the eye-crossing analogy.
– Ketura
2 days ago
1
@Ketura To be clear, crossing your eyes and squinting are not the same thing—although the two are used in a syntactically similar fashion in the example of this question and answer. Crossing your eyes blurs your vision, meaning you can't see the difference; meanwhile, squinting sharpens your vision, meaning you can see the difference. You would not normally say X looks like Y if you squint. Rather X looks like Y when you don't squint because you can't distinguish between the two. Instead, you would simply say You can make out X if you squint.
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
add a comment |
up vote
17
down vote
up vote
17
down vote
Crossing your eyes makes it harder to see clearly. This usage means unless you are paying close attention to the differences between the two things, you won't notice them.
I haven't heard this expression used before, but in my personal experience, I have heard people say "if you squint hard enough..."
answered 2 days ago
Stewart
3187
New contributor
Stewart is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Crossing your eyes makes it harder to see clearly. This usage means unless you are paying close attention to the differences between the two things, you won't notice them.
I haven't heard this expression used before, but in my personal experience, I have heard people say "if you squint hard enough..."
answered 2 days ago
Stewart
3187
New contributor
Stewart is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 2 days ago
Stewart
3187
New contributor
Stewart is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 2 days ago
Stewart
3187
answered 2 days ago
Stewart
3187
3187
New contributor
Stewart is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Stewart is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Stewart is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
3
For what it's worth, squinting has the opposite effect. You would say, "If you squint hard enough you can tell the difference between this and televised football."
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
4
@JasonBassford usually it's used as "X looks like Y if you squint", which is indeed comparable to the eye-crossing analogy.
– Ketura
2 days ago
1
@Ketura To be clear, crossing your eyes and squinting are not the same thing—although the two are used in a syntactically similar fashion in the example of this question and answer. Crossing your eyes blurs your vision, meaning you can't see the difference; meanwhile, squinting sharpens your vision, meaning you can see the difference. You would not normally say X looks like Y if you squint. Rather X looks like Y when you don't squint because you can't distinguish between the two. Instead, you would simply say You can make out X if you squint.
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
add a comment |
3
For what it's worth, squinting has the opposite effect. You would say, "If you squint hard enough you can tell the difference between this and televised football."
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
4
@JasonBassford usually it's used as "X looks like Y if you squint", which is indeed comparable to the eye-crossing analogy.
– Ketura
2 days ago
1
@Ketura To be clear, crossing your eyes and squinting are not the same thing—although the two are used in a syntactically similar fashion in the example of this question and answer. Crossing your eyes blurs your vision, meaning you can't see the difference; meanwhile, squinting sharpens your vision, meaning you can see the difference. You would not normally say X looks like Y if you squint. Rather X looks like Y when you don't squint because you can't distinguish between the two. Instead, you would simply say You can make out X if you squint.
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
3
3
For what it's worth, squinting has the opposite effect. You would say, "If you squint hard enough you can tell the difference between this and televised football."
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
For what it's worth, squinting has the opposite effect. You would say, "If you squint hard enough you can tell the difference between this and televised football."
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
4
4
@JasonBassford usually it's used as "X looks like Y if you squint", which is indeed comparable to the eye-crossing analogy.
– Ketura
2 days ago
@JasonBassford usually it's used as "X looks like Y if you squint", which is indeed comparable to the eye-crossing analogy.
– Ketura
2 days ago
1
1
@Ketura To be clear, crossing your eyes and squinting are not the same thing—although the two are used in a syntactically similar fashion in the example of this question and answer. Crossing your eyes blurs your vision, meaning you can't see the difference; meanwhile, squinting sharpens your vision, meaning you can see the difference. You would not normally say X looks like Y if you squint. Rather X looks like Y when you don't squint because you can't distinguish between the two. Instead, you would simply say You can make out X if you squint.
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
@Ketura To be clear, crossing your eyes and squinting are not the same thing—although the two are used in a syntactically similar fashion in the example of this question and answer. Crossing your eyes blurs your vision, meaning you can't see the difference; meanwhile, squinting sharpens your vision, meaning you can see the difference. You would not normally say X looks like Y if you squint. Rather X looks like Y when you don't squint because you can't distinguish between the two. Instead, you would simply say You can make out X if you squint.
– Jason Bassford
2 days ago
add a comment |
up vote
2
down vote
I have not personally encountered the usage of cross your eyes to mean squinting as indicated in your linked reference. I had always heard it used to mean making your eyes appear to be crossed. The condition esotropia is commonly referred to as being cross-eyed:
Esotropia is a form of strabismus in which one or both eyes turns inward. The condition can be constantly present, or occur intermittently, and can give the affected individual a "cross-eyed" appearance.
Wikipedia
You can usually accomplish crossing your eyes by trying to focus your eyes on the tip of your nose.
In addition to a funny looking face, you could get double vision, or lose focus, or something else, and thus have trouble seeing things clearly.
answered 2 days ago
jxh
9,0701547
add a comment |
up vote
2
down vote
I have not personally encountered the usage of cross your eyes to mean squinting as indicated in your linked reference. I had always heard it used to mean making your eyes appear to be crossed. The condition esotropia is commonly referred to as being cross-eyed:
Esotropia is a form of strabismus in which one or both eyes turns inward. The condition can be constantly present, or occur intermittently, and can give the affected individual a "cross-eyed" appearance.
Wikipedia
You can usually accomplish crossing your eyes by trying to focus your eyes on the tip of your nose.
In addition to a funny looking face, you could get double vision, or lose focus, or something else, and thus have trouble seeing things clearly.
answered 2 days ago
jxh
9,0701547
add a comment |
up vote
2
down vote
up vote
2
down vote
I have not personally encountered the usage of cross your eyes to mean squinting as indicated in your linked reference. I had always heard it used to mean making your eyes appear to be crossed. The condition esotropia is commonly referred to as being cross-eyed:
Esotropia is a form of strabismus in which one or both eyes turns inward. The condition can be constantly present, or occur intermittently, and can give the affected individual a "cross-eyed" appearance.
Wikipedia
You can usually accomplish crossing your eyes by trying to focus your eyes on the tip of your nose.
In addition to a funny looking face, you could get double vision, or lose focus, or something else, and thus have trouble seeing things clearly.
answered 2 days ago
jxh
9,0701547
I have not personally encountered the usage of cross your eyes to mean squinting as indicated in your linked reference. I had always heard it used to mean making your eyes appear to be crossed. The condition esotropia is commonly referred to as being cross-eyed:
Esotropia is a form of strabismus in which one or both eyes turns inward. The condition can be constantly present, or occur intermittently, and can give the affected individual a "cross-eyed" appearance.
Wikipedia
You can usually accomplish crossing your eyes by trying to focus your eyes on the tip of your nose.
In addition to a funny looking face, you could get double vision, or lose focus, or something else, and thus have trouble seeing things clearly.
answered 2 days ago
jxh
9,0701547
answered 2 days ago
jxh
9,0701547
answered 2 days ago
jxh
9,0701547
answered 2 days ago
jxh
9,0701547
9,0701547
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
I remember seeing the expression "screwed her eyes tight" with the meaning that you're after here.
I would personally rewrite the sentence to something like
"You'll actually mistake this for televised football if you don't pay enough attention".
answered 2 days ago
Mikael Brenner
111
New contributor
Mikael Brenner is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
I remember seeing the expression "screwed her eyes tight" with the meaning that you're after here.
I would personally rewrite the sentence to something like
"You'll actually mistake this for televised football if you don't pay enough attention".
answered 2 days ago
Mikael Brenner
111
New contributor
Mikael Brenner is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
I remember seeing the expression "screwed her eyes tight" with the meaning that you're after here.
I would personally rewrite the sentence to something like
"You'll actually mistake this for televised football if you don't pay enough attention".
answered 2 days ago
Mikael Brenner
111
New contributor
Mikael Brenner is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I remember seeing the expression "screwed her eyes tight" with the meaning that you're after here.
I would personally rewrite the sentence to something like
"You'll actually mistake this for televised football if you don't pay enough attention".
answered 2 days ago
Mikael Brenner
111
New contributor
Mikael Brenner is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 2 days ago
Mikael Brenner
111
New contributor
Mikael Brenner is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 2 days ago
Mikael Brenner
111
answered 2 days ago
Mikael Brenner
111
111
New contributor
Mikael Brenner is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Mikael Brenner is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Mikael Brenner is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
It's that, when you cross your eyes, you lose depth perception. The comment is the equivalent of saying "It's almost like watching in HD;" or, in other words, it's not quite as good visually, but could be if you lower your standards.
As far as I'm aware, it's not a colloquial phrase anywhere in the US or GB, so whoever said this to you probably missed the intended purpose.
answered yesterday
wahwahwah
1215
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
It's that, when you cross your eyes, you lose depth perception. The comment is the equivalent of saying "It's almost like watching in HD;" or, in other words, it's not quite as good visually, but could be if you lower your standards.
As far as I'm aware, it's not a colloquial phrase anywhere in the US or GB, so whoever said this to you probably missed the intended purpose.
answered yesterday
wahwahwah
1215
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
It's that, when you cross your eyes, you lose depth perception. The comment is the equivalent of saying "It's almost like watching in HD;" or, in other words, it's not quite as good visually, but could be if you lower your standards.
As far as I'm aware, it's not a colloquial phrase anywhere in the US or GB, so whoever said this to you probably missed the intended purpose.
answered yesterday
wahwahwah
1215
It's that, when you cross your eyes, you lose depth perception. The comment is the equivalent of saying "It's almost like watching in HD;" or, in other words, it's not quite as good visually, but could be if you lower your standards.
As far as I'm aware, it's not a colloquial phrase anywhere in the US or GB, so whoever said this to you probably missed the intended purpose.
answered yesterday
wahwahwah
1215
answered yesterday
wahwahwah
1215
answered yesterday
wahwahwah
1215
answered yesterday
wahwahwah
1215
1215
add a comment |
add a comment |
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1
The definition you posted of "cross your eyes" is wrong. That's probably the source of your confusion.
– Brennan Vincent
2 days ago
I edited out the totally incorrect definition, to avoid further massive confusion.
– Fattie
yesterday
@Fattie: I think the edit changes the OP's intent. I am pretty sure the OP was wondering how squinting would help a video game appear to be a live game. My edit merely quoted the OP's link. My answer attempts to address the misunderstanding.
– jxh
yesterday