lay eyes on

Idioms  

1. Also,. Look at, see, as in As soon as I laid eyes on him I knew he would be perfect for the lead in our play, or I'd never set eyes on such a beautiful gown. The first term dates from the early 1200s and the third from the late 1300s; the second, using clap in the sense of “a sudden movement,” dates from the first half of the 1800s.

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Example Sentences

Given the headlines covering this study, you might think it wise to quickly cross the street if you so much as lay eyes on a piece of bacon.

From Slate • Aug. 2, 2025

Strong words from someone I had never met and would more than likely never lay eyes on again.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2024

And with its mix of pre-Columbian references and hints of pop culture, you know it’s a piece by Juarez as soon as you lay eyes on it.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 2, 2024

Of the hundreds of souls that gathered here in Lower Manhattan, only a few dozen journalists, police officers and lawyers would even lay eyes on the man they had come to see.

From Washington Post • Apr. 4, 2023

Oh, just wait until I lay eyes on whoever comes.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen