eye

noun countable

UK /aɪ/

Word Forms

singular	eye
plural	eyes

1
one of the two body parts in your face that you use for seeing
Close your eyes and go to sleep.
He gazed into her eyes as she spoke.
The suspect is in his twenties, with blond hair and blue eyes.
Synonyms and related words
Features and parts of the face
bags under your eyes
bone structure
brow
Synonyms and related words
The eye and parts of the eye
aqueous humour
baby blues
choroid
1. 1a
  your ability to see things
  These bacteria are invisible to our eyes.
  Synonyms and related words
  The ability to see and problems with seeing
  20/20 vision
  accommodation
  astigmatism
2
used for talking about the expression on someone’s face
He spoke to her with slight amusement in his eyes.
She smiled excitedly, her eyes gleaming.
Synonyms and related words
Facial expressions
a curl of your lip
a light in someone’s eyes
countenance
3
used for saying that someone is looking at a person or thing
eye on:
I fixed my eye on the clock.
Synonyms and related words
Looks and sights
look
sight
glance
4
the calm area at the centre of a storm
Synonyms and related words
Relating to storms
a bolt of lightning
angry
eye
5
the hole at the top of a needle
Synonyms and related words
Things used for sewing and needlework
bobbin
cotton
cotton reel
6
one of the spots on a potato that new growth comes from
Synonyms and related words
Parts of vegetables
cob
eye
flesh
7
the part into which a hook fits to fasten clothing
Synonyms and related words
Accessories used to fasten and secure clothes
belt
braces
buckle
See alsohook and eye
8
have/keep your eyes on the prize
to try very hard to succeed or get what you want
Just try to keep your eyes on the prize and you’ll never fail.
Submitted by:
Boris Marchenko from Russian Federation on 15/05/2015
Open Dictionary - May2015
9
what the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve over
you can’t be made unhappy by something you don’t know about
He knew his teacher would disagree, but what the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve over.
Submitted by:
Emran Khoshrouye Ghiasi from Iran, Islamic Republic of on 21/05/2019
Open Dictionary - May2019
10
with an eye to
with the intention of
They agreed to meet with an eye to ironing out their differences.
Submitted by:
Samuel Chung from Mexico on 11/04/2019
Open Dictionary - April2019
11
in the twinkling of an eye
old-fashioned
in an instant
Let me leave the house - I’ll be with you in the twinkling of an eye.
Submitted by:
Emran Khoshrouye Ghiasi from Iran, Islamic Republic of on 12/10/2018
Open Dictionary - October2018
12
with an eye on something
paying special attention to something
Every country watches a US presidential contest with an eye on its own interests.
Submitted by:
Boris Marchenko from Russian Federation on 11/06/2016
Open Dictionary - June2016

phrases

all eyes are on

be up to your eyes in something

can’t take your eyes off

an eye for an eye (and a tooth for a tooth)

someone’s eyes are bigger than their stomach/belly

someone’s eyes meet

for your eyes only

give someone the eye

have an eye for

have an eye for/to the main chance

have an eye to something

have eyes in the back of your head

have your eye on someone

have your eye on something

have/keep your eye on someone

have/keep your eye on something

have one eye on

in the eye of the storm

in someone’s eyes

in the eyes of the law/world etc

in front of someone’s (very) eyes

keep an eye on

keep an eye out for

keep your eye on the ball

keep your eyes open/peeled/skinned (for)

the naked eye

one in the eye for someone

only have eyes for someone

open someone’s eyes to something

open your eyes to something

run/cast your eye(s) over something

see eye to eye (with someone)

set/lay/clap eyes on

take your eye off the ball

take your eyes off

there is more to someone than meets the eye

there is more to something than meets the eye

through someone’s eyes

under someone’s eye

with your eyes shut/closed

with your eyes (wide) open

eye

noun countable

US /aɪ/

Word Forms

singular	eye
plural	eyes

1
one of the two body parts in your face that you use for seeing
Close your eyes and go to sleep.
He gazed into her eyes as she spoke.
The suspect is in his twenties, with blond hair and blue eyes.
Synonyms and related words
Features and parts of the face
bags under your eyes
bone structure
brow
Synonyms and related words
The eye and parts of the eye
aqueous humor
baby blues
choroid
1. 1a
  your ability to see things
  These bacteria are invisible to our eyes.
  Synonyms and related words
  The ability to see and problems with seeing
  20/20 vision
  astigmatism
  a/the trained eye
2
used for talking about the expression on someone’s face
He spoke to her with slight amusement in his eyes.
She smiled excitedly, her eyes gleaming.
Synonyms and related words
Facial expressions
a curl of your lip
a light in someone’s eyes
countenance
3
used for saying that someone is looking at a person or thing
eye on:
I fixed my eye on the clock.
Synonyms and related words
Looks and sights
look
sight
glance
4
the hole at the top of a needle
Synonyms and related words
Things used for sewing and needlework
bobbin
cotton
cotton reel
5
the calm area at the center of a storm
Synonyms and related words
Relating to storms
a bolt of lightning
angry
chain lightning
6
one of the spots on a potato that new growth comes from
Synonyms and related words
Parts of vegetables
cob
eye
flesh
7
the part into which a hook fits to fasten clothing
Synonyms and related words
Accessories used to fasten and secure clothes
belt
braces
buckle
See alsohook and eye
8
have/keep your eyes on the prize
to try very hard to succeed or get what you want
Just try to keep your eyes on the prize and you’ll never fail.
Submitted by:
Boris Marchenko from Russian Federation on 15/05/2015
Open Dictionary - May2015
9
what the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve over
you can’t be made unhappy by something you don’t know about
He knew his teacher would disagree, but what the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve over.
Submitted by:
Emran Khoshrouye Ghiasi from Iran, Islamic Republic of on 21/05/2019
Open Dictionary - May2019
10
with an eye to
with the intention of
They agreed to meet with an eye to ironing out their differences.
Submitted by:
Samuel Chung from Mexico on 11/04/2019
Open Dictionary - April2019
11
in the twinkling of an eye
old-fashioned
in an instant
Let me leave the house - I’ll be with you in the twinkling of an eye.
Submitted by:
Emran Khoshrouye Ghiasi from Iran, Islamic Republic of on 12/10/2018
Open Dictionary - October2018
12
with an eye on something
paying special attention to something
Every country watches a US presidential contest with an eye on its own interests.
Submitted by:
Boris Marchenko from Russian Federation on 11/06/2016
Open Dictionary - June2016

phrases

all eyes are on

be up to your eyes in something

can’t take your eyes off

an eye for an eye (and a tooth for a tooth)

someone’s eyes are bigger than their stomach

someone’s eyes meet

for your eyes only

give someone the eye

have an eye for

have an eye to something

have eyes in the back of your head

have/keep your eye on someone

have/keep your eye on something

have one eye on

have your eye on someone

have your eye on something

in front of someone’s (very) eyes

in the eye of the storm

in someone’s eyes

in the eyes of the law/world etc.

keep an eye on

keep an eye out for

keep your eye on the ball

keep your eyes open/peeled (for)

the naked eye

only have eyes for someone

open someone’s eyes to something

open your eyes to something

run/cast your eye(s) over something

see eye to eye (with someone)

set/lay eyes on

take your eye off the ball

take your eyes off

there is more to someone than meets the eye

there is more to something than meets the eye

through someone’s eyes

under someone’s eye

with your eyes shut/closed

with your eyes (wide) open

eye

verb transitive

UK /aɪ/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	eye
he/she/it	eyes
present participle	eyeing or eying
past tense	eyed
past participle	eyed

1
to look at someone or something carefully
A group of local boys eyed them suspiciously.
Synonyms and related words
General words meaning to look or not look
look around
look at
look
2
American same as eye

phrasal verbs

eye up

eye

verb transitive

US /aɪ/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	eye
he/she/it	eyes
present participle	eyeing or eying
past tense	eyed
past participle	eyed

1
to look at someone or something carefully
A group of local boys eyed them suspiciously.
Synonyms and related words
General words meaning to look or not look
look around
look
check on
2
Americanto look at someone in a way that shows you are sexually attracted to them
Synonyms and related words
To look at someone in a particular way
bore into
exchange looks
eye
Synonyms and related words
To start a romantic or sexual relationship
ask out
flirt
chat up

eye ​‌‌‌

have/keep your eyes on the prize

what the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve over

with an eye to

in the twinkling of an eye

with an eye on something

eye ​‌‌‌

have/keep your eyes on the prize

what the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve over

with an eye to

in the twinkling of an eye

with an eye on something

eye ​‌

eye ​‌

eye

eye

eye

eye