eyelid

American  

[ahy-lid] / ˈaɪˌlɪd /

noun

1. the movable lid of skin that serves to cover and uncover the eyeball.

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eyelid British  

/ ˈaɪˌlɪd /

noun

1. either of the two muscular folds of skin that can be moved to cover the exposed portion of the eyeball

2. Also called: clamshell.  aeronautics a set of movable parts at the rear of a jet engine that redirect the exhaust flow to assist braking during landing

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Etymology

Origin of eyelid

Middle English word dating back to 1200–50; eye, lid

Example Sentences

Towns, meanwhile, suffered a nasty cut on his right eyelid when a drive to the rim ended in a clash of heads with Denver's Spencer Jones in the final minute of the first quarter.

From Barron's

An involuntary spasm came over Ma and her eyelids parted briefly, showing only the whites of her eyes.

From Literature

When I close my eyes, though, I only see the backs of my eyelids.

From Literature

My eyelid starts twitching, which it does sometimes when I get nervous.

From Literature

The 42-year-old Pacific Palisades native attributes his many lives to having an unparalleled amount of energy, a strain of inner bombast that could be likened to strobes of light and patterns behind closed eyelids.

From Los Angeles Times