Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. usu. in pl., an eye.

1620		R. Brathwait Five Senses Table in Archaica (1815) II v: By that elevating muscle by which it is distinguished from the optic in all other creatures, it [i.e. the eye] is taught to be on that subject only fixed, where it may be wholly and solely satisfied [OED].
1639		H. Glapthorne Argalus II ii: Surely a mist Shades our amazed opticks.
1658		Crafty Whore 8: Every haire seemed as a thred of gold to the opticks of my Lovers.
1673		Holborn Drollery 85: With opticks good I then did view The Colours that were there display’d.
1681		Mad-men’s Hospital 2: Those Beast-like Rights, which greater Beasts perswade, Are the false Opticks of their cheating Trade.
1708		Swift ‘Elegy’ in Chalmers Eng. Poets XI (1810) 380/1: How Partridge made his optics rise, / From a shoe-sole to reach the skies.
1714		T. Lucas Lives of the Gamesters (1930) 151: Warm milk was immediately brought, which, [...] opened the opticks of our blinded lovers.
1750		Apology for the Conduct of Mrs T.C. Phillips I 155: Your Father, says he, without considering, views Things thro’ false Optics.
1769		T. Chatterton ‘The Constabiliad’ in Complete Works (1971) 396: A darkling dancing Light his Optics view / Circled with livid tinges red and blue.
1781		Hicky’s Bengal Gaz. 21-28 Apr. n.p.: Every thing belonging to him must dazzle the optics of those who behold them.
1787		‘Peter Pindar’ ‘Instructions to a Celebrated Laureat’ Works (1794) II 31: ’Tis my vile optics that can’t see.
1794		‘Peter Pindar’ ‘Subjects for Painters’ Works (1794) II 289: Eager did Solomon so curious clap / His rare round optics on the widow’s trap.
1803		C.K. Sharpe Correspondence (1888) I 18: A rogue with cross jaundic’d opticks sees every thing yellow.
1809		Yankey in London 137: He describes and magnifies the excellences of his artificial eyes [...] he boasts of a number of belles and beaux who, by aid of his optics, have made wonderful havoc in the wars of Venus.
1812		Spirit of Irish Wit 133: [M]aking glass eyes for such of his patients as had lost an optic in the fortune of war.
1825		C.M. Westmacott Eng. Spy I 305: What? you can’t comprehend how I managed my black optic?
1832		Egan Bk of Sports 157: His straight-forward optic watched the projection of the pudding.
1837		R. Nicholson Cockney Adventures 23 Dec. 58: After metaphorically consigning the optics of his brother to the infernal regions.
1842		S. Lover Handy Andy 308: Didn’t I hear the old blind man at the fair asking charity ‘for the loss of his blessed optics?’.
1842		Whip & Satirist of NY & Brooklyn (NY) 26 Mar. n.p.: The one-eyed man cast his singular optic upon him.
1846		Bell’s Life in Sydney 31 Jan. 4/1: A glance of meaning from the bright blue optics.
1848		Sam Sly 30 Dec. 4/3: We have our sharp optics on the youth you mention.
1852		F. Smedley Lewis Arundel 97: They are all more or less drunk, by the fishy expression of their optics.
1857		Bendigo Advertiser (Vic.) 15 Apr. 3/2: Mary M'Kinnon, who appeared before the Bench with one of her ‘optics’ in mourning.
1866		Broad Arrow Jack 23: I’ll knock your two optics into one.
1874		J. Greenwood Wilds of London (1881) 177: How on earth can a dog help ‘losing himself’ when fashion supends a thick fringe of tow before his optics.
1881		Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 24 Dec. 5: [pic cpation] A Beery Brooklyn Beauty Had More Affection in Her Soul Than Power in Her Optics.
1883		J. Greenwood Tag, Rag & Co. 79: He turned a bit of granite and applied a cooler side of it to his damaged optic.
1889		R.W. Coan ‘In The Future’ 🎵 So keep your optics open and beware!
1892		H. Lawson ‘The Press Gang’ in Roderick (1967–9) 1 189: There are straight and honest papers (cast your optics over this).
1894		Mirror of Life 24 Mar. 15/1: The beady optic of a cornered rat.
1900		‘Doss Chiderdoss’ ‘The Victimless Villain’ Sporting Times 3 Mar. 1/4: As his eagle-eyed optic (the man was one-eyed) / Glared forbiddingly round o’er the whole countryside.
1903		A. Binstead Pitcher in Paradise 26: Her optics wandered to the corner of the box where lay my overcoat.
1904		Sun. Times (Perth) 13 Mar. 1/1: The health inspector might occasionally cast an optic on the Perth railway goods yard.
1912		E. Pugh City Of The World 274: I tell you a split don’t need such optics as what a prime top-sawyer does.
1916		‘Anzac’ On the Anzac Trail 6: Discoloured optics and flattened nasal appendages soon ceased to be objects of curiosity.
1919		Sun. Times (Perth) 9 Mar. 7/3: The glad eye is known as the joyful optic.
1919		A. Baer Two and Three 25 Feb. [synd. col.] He had better get his [...] optics recruited up to full war strength.
1922		‘Sapper’ Black Gang 290: I focussed the old optics and found I’d been squinting.
1927		W. Winchell Your Broadway & Mine 14 Jan. [synd. col.] Charlie Morrison’s eagle optic caught it last week.
1934		O. Strange Sudden 60: Ain’t yu never heard o’ the power o’ the human eye? Yu fix yore optic on a savage beast an it stops dead in its tracks.
1936		(ref. to 1920s) L. Duncan Over the Wall 172: My fists, knuckles raking sideways, slashed up the bull’s optics and snozzle.
1944		C.S. Montanye ‘Publicity for the Corpse’ in Thrilling Detective Dec. 🌐 The hardest hitting, fastest piece of boxing machinery that he had ever rolled a bloodshot optic at.
1968		in J.P. Spradley You Owe Yourself a Drunk (1988) 29: Nothing is read — could strain the optics.

2. (Aus./US) a look.

1864		Derby Day 44: Joey dextrously contracted his sinister optic.
1910		‘O. Henry’ ‘Compliments of the Season’ in Strictly Business (1915) 204: James gathered Fuzzy with his own commanding optic and swept him as far as the front door.
1921		E. Hemingway letter 20 May in Baker Sel. Letters (1981) 50: Coming out Sunday I think and will cast an optic on you.
1974		B. Humphries Nice Night’s Entertainment (1981) 146: If you like grouse gear, take an optic at these three big performers just come in the yard.
1985		B. Humphries Traveller’s Tool 102: While she was wrapping it up he took an optic around the shop.