opera glass

opera glass (plural opera glasses)

1. A pair of small low-powered binoculars for use at a theatrical performance.
   • 1844, Edgar Allan Poe, "The Spectacles"

     Talbot," I said, " you have an opera glass. Let me have it." "An opera glass ! — no ! — what do you suppose I would be doing with an opera glass ?

   • 1914, John Robert Kippax, The Call of the Stars (page 93)

     To the north and east of Shaula and Lesuth, the twin stars in the uplifted sting, are two beautiful star clusters, about four degrees apart, known as 6 M. and 7 M. which can be very well seen with an opera glass.

• Often used in plural form to indicate a single pair of binoculars.