eye

1 /aI/ noun (C) BODY PART

1 one of the two parts of the body that people and animals use to see: Annie has blue eyes. | Close your eyes and count to ten.

2 blue-eyed/one-eyed/bright-eyed/wide-eyed etc having blue eyes, one eye, bright eyes, eyes that are wide open etc

WATCH/SEE

3 have/keep your eye on sb to be carefully watching everything that someone does, especially because you do not trust them to do things properly: I've got my eye on you now, so you do as you're told!

4 clap/lay/set eyes on sb/sth spoken an expression meaning to see someone or something, used especially when you are surprised or shocked: I'd never clapped eyes on him before in my life!

5 the naked eye if you can see something with the naked eye, you can see it without using any artificial help such as a telescope or microscope: On a clear night these stars can be seen with the naked eye. | invisible to the naked eye (=cannot be seen without artificial help)

6 be all eyes especially spoken to watch carefully what is happening or what someone is doing: We were all eyes as he slowly drew back the curtain.

7 in front of/before your (very) eyes especially spoken an expression meaning happening so that you can clearly see it, used especially when what you see is surprising or shocking: Ladies and gentlemen, before your very eyes I will now make this rabbit disappear.

LOOK AT

8 catch sb's eye

a) to attract someone's attention and make them look at something: All of a sudden something red caught his eye.

b) to look at someone at the same moment that they are looking at you: I caught Ben's eye in the rear-view mirror and knew what he was thinking.

9 eye contact if you have eye contact with someone, you look directly at them and they look directly at you: Always establish eye contact with the customer - it inspires confidence.

10 cannot take your eyes off sb/sth to be unable to stop looking at someone or something, especially because they are very attractive or interesting: She was so beautiful I simply couldn't take my eyes off her.

11 look sb in the eye (usually in negatives) to look directly and steadily at someone because you are not embarrassed or ashamed: I couldn't look him in the eye afterwards, knowing that I had lost all that money.

12 run/cast your eye over sth to look at something quickly without reading it in detail: Could you just cast your eye over this report before I hand it in?

LOOK AFTER

13 keep your eye on sth/sb to look after someone or something and make sure that they are safe: Mary offered to keep an eye on the baby while I went out.

WATCH FOR

14 keep an eye out for sth to hope to notice or find something: Could you keep an eye out for my red pen? I seem to have mislaid it.

15 keep your eyes open/peeled spoken to watch carefully for something: Keep your eyes peeled for a campsite.

NOTICE

16 have eyes in the back of your head to know what is happening all around you, even when this might seem impossible: You need to have eyes in the back of your head to be a teacher.

17 have eyes like a hawk to notice every small detail or everything that is happening, and therefore to be difficult to deceive: We never got away with anything in Mrs. Podell's class - she had eyes like a hawk.

18 have your eye on sth to have noticed something that you want to buy or have: I've got my eye on a nice little sports car that I'm saving up for.

DISAGREE/DISBELIEVE

19 not see eye to eye to always disagree with someone: Liz never saw eye to eye with her daughter-in-law.

20 my eye! spoken used to express surprise or disagreement: A diamond necklace my eye! That was glass!

21 in a pig's eye! AmE spoken used to show that you do not believe what someone is saying: Dan said he got up early to do all his chores. In a pig's eye he did!

SURPRISE

22 not be able to believe your eyes spoken used when you see something very surprising: I couldn't believe my eyes - there she was, stark naked!

23 eyes popping out of your head also eyes out on stalks BrE especially spoken used when you are very surprised or shocked by something you see

LOVE/SEXUAL ATTRACTION

24 make eyes at sb/give sb the eye to look at someone in a way that shows you find them sexually attractive: Janet spent the whole evening making eyes at other men.

25 only have eyes for sb if someone only has eyes for someone else, they only love and are interested in that one person: I knew it was hopeless - Mark only had eyes for his wife.

26 have your eye on sb to notice someone, especially because you think they are attractive: Mark's got his eye on that new girl in the accounts department. | I hear you've got your eye on a new player for the team.

JUDGE

27 have a (good) eye for sth to be good at noticing and recognizing what is attractive, valuable, of good quality etc: Gail has a good eye for colour.

28 in the eyes of the law/the world/the police etc in the opinion or judgment of the law, the world, the police etc: In the eyes of the law stealing is an offence, no matter what your motives.

29 to my eye spoken used when you want to give your opinion about the way something looks: To my eye the paint seemed darker than it had done in the shop.

30 get/keep your eye in BrE to begin to practise or to continue practising your ability to judge the speed and direction of the ball in games such as cricket (2) and tennis

SPOKEN PHRASES

31 be up to your eyes in sth to be very busy doing something: I really can't take on anything else just now - I'm up to my eyes in paperwork as it is.

32 with your eyes closed/shut easily and without any difficulty: I don't know why you're so worried - you could run that place with your eyes closed!

33 have eyes bigger than your stomach to take more food than you are able to eat: I can't finish this cake - I must have eyes bigger than my stomach!

34 one in the eye for BrE a defeat or disappointment for someone else, usually used when you are pleased about it: If we win the cup it'll be one in the eye for Martin - he said we wouldn't even make it to the final.

PURPOSE

35 with an eye to if you do something with an eye to something else, you do it in order that the second thing will happen: Davies bought several houses, with an eye to making a quick profit.

36 with an eye to the main chance an expression meaning wanting to take advantage of any possible chance to succeed, usually used in a disapproving way

OTHER MEANINGS

37 more to sth/sb than meets the eye if there is more to a situation, problem, or person than meets the eye, they are more complicated than they seem to be at first: I reckon there's more to this `relocation' business than meets the eye.

38 with your eyes open knowing fully what the problems, difficulties, results etc of a situation might be: You went into this with your eyes open, so it's no use complaining now!

39 close/shut your eyes to sth to ignore something or pretend that you do not know it is happening: I closed my eyes to the fact that she wasn't supposed to be there, and bought her a drink.

40 drop/lower your eyes to move your eyes so that you are looking at a point lower than where you were looking before, especially because you are shy: Melissa lowered her eyes demurely as he came into the room.

41 for your eyes only used to say that something is secret and must only be seen by one particular person

42 an eye for an eye a system in which you punish someone by hurting them in the same way as they hurt someone else: An eye for an eye is no way to run a civilized justice system.

43 NEEDLE the hole in a needle that you put the thread through

44 CLOTHING a small circle or U-shaped piece of metal used together with a hook for fastening clothes

45 STORM the calm centre of a storm, especially a cyclone

46 POTATO a dark spot on a potato from which a new plant can grow

—see also: black eye, cat's eye, private eye, red eye, the apple of sb's eye apple (2), not bat an eye/eyelid bat 2 (2), bird's­eye view, turn a blind eye (to) blind 1 (2b), see sth out of the corner of your eye corner 1 (8), cry your eyes out cry 1 (1), the evil eye evil 1 (5), give sb the glad eye glad (8), in your mind's eye mind 1 (43), here's mud in your eye mud (4), open sb's eyes (to) open 2 (3b), in the public eye public 1 (4), make sheep's eyes at sheep (4), a sight for sore eyes sight 1 (11), in the twinkling of an eye twinkle 1 (3), keep a weather eye on weather 1 (5), pull the wool over sb's eyes wool (4) 2 present participle eyeing or eying verb (T) to look at someone or something with interest, especially because you do not trust them or because you want something: The child eyed me with curiosity. | Julian sat there eyeing my brandy. eye sb up phrasal verb (T) informal to look at someone in a way that shows you think they are sexually attractive: They all stood in a corner, eyeing up the local girls.