eye-watering
See also: eyewatering
English
Alternative forms
- eyewatering
Etymology
eye + watering
Adjective
eye-watering (comparative more eye-watering, superlative most eye-watering)
- Having an odour, vapours or smoke which causes irritation to the eyes.
- (figuratively) Having an extremely bad odour.
- Synonym: foul-smelling
- (figuratively) So expensive that (figuratively) it would make one's eyes water.
- Synonyms: see Thesaurus:expensive
- 2021 January 25, Chris Barker, Dr Robin Russell-Jones, “Electric cars are not the only green solution”, in The Guardian:
- Toyota is developing a hydrogen fuel cell car, but the research and development costs are eye-watering. By contrast, a British firm, Riversimple, is producing a cheap, compact two-seater, which will probably come to dominate the small car market, particularly for drivers who cannot plug in a car at home.
- 2021 November 17, “Open Access: Hope for Woodhead”, in RAIL, number 944, page 64:
- Both residents and drivers know that the cost of the current proposals to improve the A628 from Mottram all the way to the Flouch Inn has already reached eye-watering billions.
- 2022 May 13, Eva Corlett, “As the shine comes off NZ Labour, Grant Robertson hopes his budget can steady the ship”, in The Guardian:
- With food prices at a record high, inflation at its highest in three decades, fuel prices topping $3 a litre and eye-watering housing costs, Labour has been paying for it in the polls.
- 2022 October 17, quoting Jeremy Hunt, “Jeremy Hunt shreds Truss’s economic plans in astounding U-turn on tax”, in The Guardian:
- “That means decisions of eye-watering difficulty,” he said. “Every single one of those decisions – whether reductions in spending or increases in tax – will be shaped through core, compassionate Conservative values that will prioritise the needs of the most vulnerable.”
- (figuratively) Of a shocking or surprising nature.
- Synonyms: see Thesaurus:surprising