"to view with amorous glances or with a design to attract notice," 1680s, a cant word, probably from Low German oeglen, frequentative of oegen "look at," from oege "eye," from Proto-Germanic *augon-, from PIE root *okw- "to see." Related to Dutch ogen "to look at," from oog "eye." Related: Ogled; ogling. The noun meaning "an amorous glance" is attested from 1711; earlier it meant "an eye" (1700).