mole-eyed scrutiny
- noun
- Literature
:
examen minucioso
- Under her mole-eyed scrutiny, even the smallest errors could not escape notice.
Examples
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The manuscript underwent mole-eyed scrutiny before it was finally approved for publication.
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His mole-eyed scrutiny of the accounts revealed several discrepancies others had missed.
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This report is under mole-eyed scrutiny.
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The article received mole-eyed scrutiny!
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His mole-eyed scrutiny of the accounts revealed several discrepancies others had missed.
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The manuscript underwent mole-eyed scrutiny before it was finally approved for publication.
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Under her mole-eyed scrutiny, even the smallest errors could not escape notice.
Synonyms
168
5.5
A close, careful look at something to find mistakes or problems
147
2.1
A long steady look at someone or something
A careful, close look at something to find small details
How Intense
Surface Forms
Morphology
mole-eyed + scrutiny
The modifier 'mole-eyed' is not a productive, dictionary-listed adjective and its literal parts (mole + eyed) would more likely evoke poor or limited vision or a subterranean animal, not 'intense, searching' examination. Because the intended metaphorical sense (sharp, unwavering scrutiny) is not transparently signalled by the constituents and is rare/unfamiliar, a B1 learner who knows the parts would not reliably infer the overall meaning.
Etymology
Mole-eyed scrutiny may come from the picture of a mole with tiny eyes that noses close to the ground to find hidden things, so mole-eyed suggests looking very closely. That's why mole-eyed scrutiny means a sharp, careful examination that finds small errors others do not see.