give (one) the once-over

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give (one) the once-over

1. To inspect or examine one quickly. Make sure you give everyone the once-over before they come into the club. We don't want anyone bringing in anything dangerous. Let me give you the once-over to make sure your outfit looks all right.

2. To look at one in a way that conveys interest, often sexual interest. That cute guy is definitely giving you the once-over—you should go talk to him!

give someone the once-over

Also, give someone the eye. Look or stare at someone with interest. For example, The new coach gave the team the once-over before introducing himself, or He gave her the eye and she blushed. The first expression, a colloquialism, generally implies a quick but comprehensive survey or assessment. The variant, a slangy usage sometimes amplified to give the glad eye, often signifies an inviting glance. [Early 1900s] Also see make eyes at.

give someone/something the once-over

give someone/something a once-over

INFORMAL

If you give someone or something the once-over or a once-over, you look at them or examine them quickly. Penny gives me the once-over. I'm wearing a bright jacket that'll go down well with European viewers, she says. Could you give this email a once-over before I send it, please? Note: You can also just talk about a once-over. You could bring the car to a mechanic for a once-over.

give somebody/something a/the ˈonce-over

(informal)
1 look at somebody/something quickly to see what they are/it is like: The landlord gave the house the once-over to check if anything was broken or missing.
2 clean something quickly: She gave the room a quick once-over before the guests arrived.

give (someone/something) the once-over, to

To make a quick assessment or examination. An Americanism dating from the early twentieth century, once-over was defined in Dialect Notes in 1915 as “a glance.” In Elizabeth Bowen’s novel The Death of the Heart (1938), “Daphne gave the rest of the cakes a rather scornful once-over.”