eye
Americannoun
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eyes,
plural
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eyen,
plural (Archaic)
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eyne
plural (Archaic)
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the organ of sight, in vertebrates typically one of a pair of spherical bodies contained in an orbit of the skull and in humans appearing externally as a dense, white, curved membrane, or sclera, surrounding a circular, colored portion, or iris, that is covered by a clear, curved membrane, or cornea, and in the center of which is an opening, or pupil, through which light passes to the retina.
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the aggregate of structures situated within or near the orbit that assist, support, or protect the eye.
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this organ with respect to the color of the iris.
blue eyes.
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the region surrounding the eye.
a black eye; puffy eyes.
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sight; vision.
a sharp eye.
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the power of seeing; appreciative or discriminating visual perception.
the eye of an artist.
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a look, glance, or gaze.
to cast one's eye at a beautiful necklace.
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an attentive look, close observation, or watch.
to be under the eye of a guard.
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regard, view, aim, or intention.
to have an eye to one's own advantage.
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a manner or way of looking at something; judgment; opinion: We are all equal in the eyes of the law.
To my eye, it's a great plan.
We are all equal in the eyes of the law.
Evaluate the text with a critical eye.
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a center of light, intelligence, influence, etc.
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something resembling or suggesting the eye in appearance, shape, etc., as the opening in the lens of a camera, a peephole, or a buttonhole.
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Botany.
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the bud of a potato, Jerusalem artichoke, etc.
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a small, contrastingly colored part at the center of a flower.
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the central spot of a target; bull's-eye.
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a choice center cut of meat.
an eye of round; the eye of the rib.
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one of the round spots on the tail feathers of a peacock.
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the hole in a needle.
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a hole made in a thing for the insertion of some object, as the handle of a tool.
the eye of an ax.
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a metal or other ring through which something, as a rope or rod, is passed.
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the loop into which a hook is inserted.
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Electronics. a photoelectric cell or similar device used to perform a function analogous to visual inspection.
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Building Trades. a ring on the end of a tension member, as an eye bar or eye bolt, for connection with another member.
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a hole formed during the maturation of cheese, especially Emmenthaler or Gruyère.
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a loop worked at the end of a rope.
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Meteorology. the approximately circular region of relatively light winds and fair weather found at the center of a severe tropical cyclone.
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Nautical. eyes, the extreme forward part of the upper deck at the bow of a vessel.
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Nautical. the precise direction from which a wind is blowing.
verb (used with object)
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eyes,
present (3rd person singular)
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eyed,
past participle, past
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eyeing,
present participle
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eying
present participle
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to fix the eyes upon; view.
to eye the wonders of nature.
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to observe or watch narrowly.
She eyed the two strangers with suspicion.
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to make an eye in.
to eye a needle.
verb (used without object)
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eyes,
present (3rd person singular)
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eyed,
past participle, past
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eyeing,
present participle
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eying
present participle
idioms
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give (someone) the eye, to look fixedly at (another person), especially with obvious admiration; ogle.
She ignored the men who were giving her the eye.
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catch someone's eye, to draw or attract someone's attention.
to catch the waiter's eye.
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with one's eyes open, aware of the inherent or potential risks.
She signed the papers with her eyes open.
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have an eye for, to have the ability to appreciate distinctions in; be discerning or perceptive about.
She has an eye for antique furniture.
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be all eyes, to give all one's attention to something; look intently.
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keep an eye on, to watch over attentively.
Please keep an eye on my plants while I'm away.
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an eye for an eye, repayment in kind, as revenge for an injustice.
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in a pig's eye, absolutely not; never.
In a pig's eye I will!
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run one's eye over, to glance briefly at; examine hastily.
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make eyes at, to gaze flirtatiously or amorously at.
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keep an eye out for, to be vigilant in looking or watching for.
The announcer told his listeners to keep an eye out for the escaped criminal.
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see eye to eye, to have exactly the same opinion; agree.
They have never been able to see eye to eye on politics.
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sight for sore eyes, a welcome sight; a pleasant surprise.
After our many days in the desert, the wretched village was a sight for sore eyes.
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shut one's eyes to, to refuse to see or consider; disregard.
We can no longer shut our eyes to the gravity of the situation.
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pick the eyes out, to select the best parts or items.
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keep one's eyes open, to be especially alert or observant.
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open one's eyes, to bring someone to a realization of the truth or of something previously unknown.
A trip through Asia opened his eyes to the conditions under which millions had to live.
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my eye! (a mild exclamation of contradiction or surprise).
He says he wasn't told about this? My eye!
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see with half an eye, to see or realize immediately or with ease.
Anyone can see with half an eye that the plan is doomed to fail.
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keep one's eye on the ball, to remain attentive; be especially alert.
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with an eye to, with a plan or purpose of.
with an eye to one's future.
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lay / clap / set eyes on, to catch sight of; see.
They had never laid eyes on such a big car before.
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have eyes only for, Also only have eyes for.
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to want no other person or thing but.
She was always surrounded by admirers, but she had eyes only for Harry.
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to see, or view, or desire to see only.
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noun
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the organ of sight of animals, containing light-sensitive cells associated with nerve fibres, so that light entering the eye is converted to nervous impulses that reach the brain. In man and other vertebrates the iris controls the amount of light entering the eye and the lens focuses the light onto the retina
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(often plural) the ability to see; sense of vision
weak eyes
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the visible external part of an eye, often including the area around it
heavy-lidded eyes
piercing eyes
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a look, glance, expression, or gaze
a stern eye
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a sexually inviting or provocative look (esp in the phrases give ( someone ) the ( glad ) eye, make eyes at )
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attention or observation (often in the phrases catch someone's eye, keep an eye on, cast an eye over )
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ability to recognize, judge, or appreciate
an eye for antiques
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(often plural) opinion, judgment, point of view, or authority
in the eyes of the law
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a structure or marking having the appearance of an eye, such as the bud on a twig or potato tuber or a spot on a butterfly wing
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a small loop or hole, as at one end of a needle
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a small area of low pressure and calm in the centre of a tornado or cyclone
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See photocell
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informal See private eye
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informal acutely vigilant or observant
the children were all eyes
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informal rubbish; nonsense
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retributive or vengeful justice; retaliation
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to look rudely at a person and then turn one's face away sharply while closing one's eyes: a gesture of contempt
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with every possible effort
he went at the job eyes out
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sport to become accustomed to the conditions, light, etc, with a consequent improvement in one's performance
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a modicum of perceptiveness
anyone with half an eye can see she's in love
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continuing unobtrusive observation or awareness
the dog had half an eye on the sheep
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to be interested in
she has eyes only for him
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pictured within the mind; imagined or remembered vividly
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exposed to public curiosity or publicity
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to watch with special attention (for)
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to watch vigilantly (for)
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to look at someone openly and without shame or embarrassment
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old-fashioned to ogle amorously
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hidden motives, meaning, or facts
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to select the best parts or pieces (of)
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to agree (with)
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(usually used with a negative) to see
she had never laid eyes on him before
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nautical the direction from which the wind is blowing
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to pretend not to notice or ignore deliberately
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extremely busy (with)
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in a … manner
he regards our success with a jealous eye
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(preposition)
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regarding; with reference to
with an eye to one's own interests
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with the intention or purpose of
with an eye to reaching agreement
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in the full knowledge of all relevant facts
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with great ease, esp as a result of thorough familiarity
I could drive home with my eyes shut
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without being aware of all the facts
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verb
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to look at carefully or warily
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Also: eye up. to look at in a manner indicating sexual interest; ogle
noun
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Anatomy The vertebrate organ of sight, composed of a pair of fluid-filled spherical structures that occupy the orbits of the skull. Incoming light is refracted by the cornea of the eye and transmitted through the pupil to the lens, which focuses the image onto the retina.
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Zoology An organ in invertebrates that is sensitive to light.
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Zoology See more at compound eye eyespot
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Botany A bud on a tuber, such as a potato.
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Meteorology The relatively calm area at the center of a hurricane or similar storm.
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Meteorology See more at hurricane
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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eyesimple
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eyessimple
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have eyedperfect
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has eyedperfect
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am eyeingprogressive
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am eyingprogressive
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are eyeingprogressive
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are eyingprogressive
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is eyeingprogressive
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is eyingprogressive
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have been eyeingperfect progressive
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have been eyingperfect progressive
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has been eyeingperfect progressive
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has been eyingperfect progressive
Past
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eyedsimple
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had eyedperfect
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was eyeingprogressive
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was eyingprogressive
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were eyeingprogressive
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were eyingprogressive
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had been eyeingperfect progressive
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had been eyingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of eye
First recorded before 900; Middle English eie, ie, Old English ēge, variant of ēage; cognate with German Auge, Icelandic auga; akin to Latin oculus “eye,” Greek ṓps “eye, face, countenance” and optós “seen, visible,” Sanskrit akṣi, Lithuanian akìs, and Slavic ( Polish ) oko, all meaning “eye”
Explanation
An eye is the part of your body that makes it possible for you to see. When your eyes are closed, you can no longer see — until you open them again. Most animals have eyes, and while having two eyes is most common, some spiders have eight. Your eyes are sense organs, and unless you're visually impaired, they enable you to see the world around you. The tiny hole in a needle is also an eye, and when you look at someone, you eye them. To lay eyes on something is to see it for the first time, and when you keep an eye on someone, you observe them carefully.
Vocabulary lists containing eye
Physical Geography - Introductory
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Physical Geography - Middle School
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Physical Geography - High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But investors will be keeping an eye on the minutes of last month’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting, to be released Wednesday, for details on how Fed members view inflation and the interest-rate environment.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 16, 2026
The eye roll you get in response might sting, but at least it’s real.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
He had a twinkle in his eye, and seven of the most famous words in Dodgers broadcasting lore at the ready.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
Salisbury was colorful: A mixed martial arts enthusiast, he once appeared at the agency’s headquarters with his face bruised and eye blackened from a recent bout.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
“Please don’t go,” I cry, wishing I were tall so I could look Caesar in the eye.
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
He was going to visit around town for a while, might eyen take a look at Abraham Lincoln's tomb, while Stevenson made up his mind about tidelands.
From Time Magazine Archive
How kind are the awful eyen that no foeman durst behold!
From The Story of Sigurd the Volsung and the Fall of the Niblungs by William Morris
Examples are: the double negative with ne; eyen, lenger, doen, ycladd, harrowd, purchas, raught, seely, stowre, swinge, owch, and withouten.
From Spenser's The Faerie Queene, Book I by Edmund Spenser
Maybe you are somewhat like as yet unto him whose eyen Christ touched, that at first he could not tell betwixt men and trees.
From Clare Avery A Story of the Spanish Armada by Emily Sarah Holt
The fearful mothers on the walls their eyen after sent, Following the dusty cloud of them and ranks of glittering brass.
From The Æneids of Virgil Done into English Verse by William Morris
"Please open your eyes, government. We are your people, we are part of you. So please look after us."
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026
I wasn’t surprised to learn the two men were close friends; they even look alike, with their long white beards and sparkling eyes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
“Tanya came through from the kitchen with another tray of small things on sticks–olives, chunks of pineapple. Our eyes met. ‘I’m going through a ‘70s thing,’ she said.
From Slate ● Aug. 15, 2026
"I just remember looking around and seeing so much panic and fear in so many people's eyes," she said.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
I let the water run over me and close my eyes.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Blod and water yer come owte at ye wonde, and he wyppyd hys eyne and anon he sawgh kyth thorowgh ye vertu of yat God.
From Primitive Psycho-Therapy and Quackery by Robert Means Lawrence
In every kiss I call you mine, Tell me, my dear, how pure, how brave Our child will be! what velvet eyne, What bonny hair our child will have!
From Silverpoints by John Gray
Shakespeare says, "the cat with eyne of burning coal," and in Middleton's Witch, Act III.,
From Our Cats and All About Them Their Varieties, Habits, and Management; and for Show, the Standard of Excellence and Beauty; Described and Pictured by Harrison Weir
Is it mine eyne, or Valentino’s praise, Hanmer.
From Two Gentlemen of Verona The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [9 vols.] by William George Clark
I smiled upon her with my bonniest, blithest eyne.
From The Lady Paramount by Henry Harland
This time around, Sonenshein noted, political heavyweights such as real estate developer Rick Caruso and county Supervisor Lindsey Horvath eyed the contest only to stay out.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 1, 2026
Global stocks gained and oil prices retreated as investors eyed a potential deal between the U.S. and Iran that could open the Strait of Hormuz.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 25, 2026
Roboticists have eyed the garment manufacturing industry for decades.
From BBC ● May 18, 2026
On the other side, the EU has eyed India -- the world's most populous nation and a fast-growing economy -- as an important market for the future.
From Barron's ● May 16, 2026
They all nervously eyed the mountain, which rose up in the distance.
From "I Survived the Eruption of Mount St. Helens, 1980" by Lauren Tarshis
Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger were eyeing an NBA expansion team bid in Las Vegas but pivoted to buying the Lakers from Mark Walter, who bought a controlling interest in the team last year.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
A new week sees the S&P 500 eyeing a new record.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026
Fire had been eyeing Lewandowski for a decade, believing they could convince him to come to America, especially with the large Polish community in Chicago.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
They are eyeing “whether the BOJ upgrades its growth outlook, and whether it continues to view inflation risks as skewed to the upside,” the senior market analyst says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
Isabella picks up a seed pod and starts eyeing it.
From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée
He told AFP that VW was eying other Asian countries and South America as places that might be receptive to its China-developed offerings.
From Barron's ● Apr. 27, 2026
The company is eying a potentially blockbuster initial public offering that could draw more attention to the space sector.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 20, 2026
General Catalyst is eying call centers and rental companies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 11, 2026
Voters from more than 100 countries followed the action at Katmai's Brooks River through live web streams, where bears can be seen scooping up salmon and eying up their competition.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2025
“No,” Grandpa said, eying the trap and rubbing his nose, “it wouldn’t do any good to poke a stick in it. We wouldn’t know any more then than we do now.”
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
