blind spot
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. An area in the visual field that is not sensitive to light: This is the physical, anatomical blind spot where the optic nerve connects to the retina; no photoreceptor cells exist there, so images falling on this spot cannot be seen. 2. An area where a person lacks understanding, awareness, or good judgment: This figurative meaning refers to a subject, issue, or aspect of one's own behavior about which a person is consistently ignorant, prejudiced, or fails to perceive accurately.
Usage Examples
- Anatomical Meaning:
- Every human eye has a blind spot, but our brains compensate so we don't notice the gap.
- When driving, you must turn your head to check your car's blind spot before changing lanes.
- Figurative Meaning (Lack of Awareness):
- His overconfidence is his biggest blind spot; he never sees his own mistakes.
- The manager has a blind spot for that employee's chronic lateness.
Advanced Usage
- "To have a blind spot for/about something/someone": To be unable or unwilling to criticize or see the faults in a particular thing or person.
- She's an excellent judge of character, but she has a blind spot for her charming but unreliable brother.
- "A blind spot in one's knowledge/thinking": A specific area where one's knowledge or reasoning is deficient.
- The report revealed a significant blind spot in the company's cybersecurity planning.
Variants and Related Words
- Blindside (verb): To attack or hit someone from their blind spot; figuratively, to surprise someone with an unexpected problem.
- The news of the economic downturn blindsided the investors.
Synonyms
- Weakness: A point of vulnerability.
- Prejudice: A preconceived opinion not based on reason.
- Gap in knowledge: An area where information is lacking.
- Oversight: An unintentional failure to notice something.
Related Idioms & Phrases
- Turn a blind eye: To knowingly ignore undesirable information.
- The authorities turned a blind eye to the minor violations.
- (Caught) off guard: Surprised and unprepared, similar to being blindsided.
- The sudden question caught him off guard.
Noun
- the point where the optic nerve enters the retina; not sensitive to light
- a subject about which you are ignorant or prejudiced and fail to exercise good judgment
- golf is one of his blind spots and he's proud of it