contemplate (one's) navel

To be excessively focused on one's personal problems or concerns. Good luck getting John's attention—he's too busy contemplating his navel to help anybody else. She said my tendency to contemplate my navel was one of the biggest reasons she broke up with me. If our party is going to be successful in the future, then we can't just endlessly contemplate our navels about losing this one election.

fix (one) with a gaze

To look at one intensely. He fixed me with a gaze, and I found myself mesmerized by what he was saying. When Mom fixed me with a gaze, I knew she was serious about grounding me if I missed curfew again. Though I fixed the man with a gaze, I still wasn't positive that he was the assailant.

fix (one) with a look

To look at one intensely. He fixed me with a look, and I found myself mesmerized by what he was saying. When Mom fixed me with a look, I knew she was serious about grounding me if I missed curfew again. Though I fixed the man with a look, I still wasn't positive that he was the assailant.

fix (one) with a stare

To look at one intensely. He fixed me with a stare, and I found myself mesmerized by what he was saying. When Mom fixed me with a stare, I knew she was serious about grounding me if I missed curfew again. Though I fixed the man with a stare, I still wasn't positive that he was the assailant.

gaze (off) into space

To stare vacantly or absentmindedly at nothing in particular, usually while one is preoccupied with or distracted by thoughts of something else. I sat at the back of class, gazing off into space, when suddenly the solution came to me. He just gazed into space as his parents lectured him on the importance of paying attention during class. A: "Did you hear a word I said?" B: "What? Sorry, guess I was gazing off into space."

gaze around

To look around or survey a particular place or area. When we first got off the bus in New York City, we could only gaze around at all the skyscrapers in awe. The baby lay quietly in her crib, just gazing around. There were so many vibrant flowers in every direction that I could only gaze around the garden at first.

gaze around at (someone or something)

To look around at someone or something. The teacher gazed around at all the kids in the room and then announced who had gotten the solos. When we first got off the bus in New York City, we could only gaze around at all the skyscrapers in awe. We had second-row seats to a game last year, which was wild. We spent most of the time gazing around at the players, completely starstruck!

gaze at (one's) navel

To be excessively focused on or preoccupied with one's personal problems or concerns. Good luck getting John's attention—he's too busy gazing at his navel to help anybody else. She said my tendency to gaze at my navel was one of the biggest reasons she broke up with me. If our party is going to be successful in the future, then we can't just endlessly gaze at our navels about losing this one election.

gaze at (someone or something)

To look at someone or something. The teacher gazed at all the kids in the room and then announced who had gotten the solos. When we first got off the bus in New York City, we could only gaze at all the skyscrapers in awe. We had second-row seats to a game last year, which was wild. We spent most of the time gazing at the players, completely starstruck!

gaze into a/(one's) crystal ball

To predict future events. A reference to the cliché of fortune-tellers and mystics using a glass or crystal orb to see into the future. The renowned analyst is predicting a massive economic downturn. She must be gazing into her crystal ball or something. It's not like we can gaze into a crystal ball and anticipate how the market will react, so we just have to hope for the best. I wish I could just gaze into a crystal ball and know how the team will fare in the playoffs before I get too invested.

gaze on (someone or something)

To look at someone or something. The teacher gazed on the class and then announced who had gotten the solos. When we first got off the bus in New York City, we could only gaze on all the skyscrapers in awe. We had second-row seats to a game last year, which was wild. We spent most of the time gazing on the players, completely starstruck!

gaze open-mouthed

To stare intently at something or someone, often because one is awestruck or dumbfounded. I couldn't help but gaze open-mouthed at the beautiful sunrise. I have some great pictures of the kids gazing open-mouthed at the giraffes at the zoo. It probably wasn't the best reaction, but I was so shocked that I could only gaze open-mouthed at Mary when she told me she was pregnant.

gaze out on (something)

To look or peer out at something. I sipped my coffee and gazed out on the snowy scene beyond my window. We stood on the balcony and gazed out on the New York City skyline in awe. We had second-row seats to a game last year, which was wild. We spent most of the time gazing out on the players, completely starstruck!

male gaze

The rendering of art, literature, etc., from the perspective of and for the consumption of heterosexual males, especially characterized by the depiction of women as passive objects of desire and pleasure. The phrase was coined by film theorist Laura Mulvey. The male gaze will continue to dominate media until more and more women artists challenge the paradigm.

meet (one's) gaze

To make eye contact with one, typically in a way that is confident or without shame. She couldn't meet my gaze because she knew how angry I was with her. When shaking hands with someone, you should always meet their gaze.

navel-gazing

The act of excessively focusing on one's personal problems or concerns, to the exclusion of other people or other issues. She said my navel-gazing was one of the biggest reasons she broke up with me. If our party is going to be successful in the future, then we can't be dragged down by navel-gazing about the loss of this election.

rivet (one's) gaze (on someone or something)

1. To capture and hold one's gaze or attention completely and for an extended period of time (on someone or something). The magician riveted our gaze on the mysterious box, as we waited with bated breath to see what would emerge. The film riveted my gaze from beginning to end.

2. To focus one's gaze or attention completely and continuously (on someone or something). I riveted my gaze on the television as the final seconds of the game ticked away. I don't think I could handle celebrity. Having thousands of people rivet their gaze on me every day sounds like a nightmare.

stare (off) into space

To stare vacantly or absentmindedly at nothing in particular, usually while one is preoccupied with or distracted by thoughts of something else. I sat at the back of class, staring off into space, when suddenly the solution came to me. He just stared into space as his parents lectured him on the importance of paying attention during class.

steely gaze

A prolonged and intense, mirthless look, especially one expressing disapproval or displeasure. The kids began joking about their classmate's situation, but the teacher silenced them with a steely gaze. I could tell by his steely gaze that he was not happy about the news.

gaze around (at someone or something)

to look all around at someone or something. The manager gazed around at each of us, and finally spoke. Tourists gazed around at the scenery for a while and got back in the bus. We just stood there, gazing around.

gaze at someone or something

to stare at someone or something. I stood for an hour, gazing at the sea. She gazed at me for a moment and then smiled.

gaze on someone or something

to look at someone or something; to survey someone or something. She gazed sullenly on the ruin that had been her home. The teacher gazed on the student and frightened her.

gaze out on something

to look out on something, such as a lovely view, from inside a building or from a particular spot. She gazed out on the flowering trees and knew that life would go on. Henry sat for hours, gazing out on the lake.

rivet one's gaze on someone or something

and rivet one's glare on someone or something

Fig. to fasten one's gaze onto someone or something. (As if it were attached by rivets.) He riveted his gaze on the surly young man. Walter riveted his hateful glare on the last page of the contract and sneered.

steely gaze

Cliché an intense, staring gaze. The principal turned a steely gaze toward the frightened student and suddenly smiled.

navel-gazing

navel-contemplation

If you accuse someone of navel-gazing or navel-contemplation, you are criticizing them for thinking only about themselves and their own problems or activities, rather than the problems or activities of other people. Tory MP Martin Brison says he is more interested in developing policies for the future than in navel-gazing about the past. He called for an end to Labor's post-election navel-gazing. Note: Navel-gazing can be used before a noun. The film is a sort of navel-gazing look at Hollywood. Note: You can also say that someone gazes at their navel or contemplates their navel. The Institute has always been notorious for contemplating its own navel. Note: These expressions are used to show disapproval. Note: Your navel is your tummy button or belly button.

fix somebody with a ˈlook, ˈstare, ˈgaze, etc.

look directly at somebody for a long time: He fixed her with an angry stare.

look/stare/gaze into ˈspace

look straight in front of you without looking at a particular thing, usually because you are thinking about something: I asked her twice if she was ready to leave but she just sat there staring into space.