écarquiller

Senses

1. 1.

   to open wide (eyes)

   to spread or stretch (especially eyes) open as far as possible, often in surprise or shock

Examples

• "Il a écarquillé les yeux en voyant le prix du billet."

  He opened his eyes wide upon seeing the ticket price.

• "Elle écarquille les yeux de frayeur."

  She opens her eyes wide with fright.

• "Les enfants ont écarquillé les yeux devant le gâteau géant."

  The children opened their eyes wide at the sight of the enormous cake.

Usage

Almost always used with "les yeux" (the eyes). This is a standard, neutral verb expressing a physical reaction to surprise, wonder, or fear. It is characteristic of French and has no direct single-word equivalent in English-"open wide" is the closest approximation.