Definition

1. Noun:

   • The organ of sight: The part of the body that allows a person or animal to see.
   • A look or gaze: The act of looking at something; attention or regard.
   • The ability to notice, judge, or appreciate: A particular way of seeing or understanding things; discernment.
   • Something resembling an eye in shape or function: A small hole, loop, or central spot.

2. Verb:

   • To look at closely or with interest: To observe, watch, or examine something attentively.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • She has beautiful blue eyes. (She has beautiful blue organs of sight.)
  • He avoided making eye contact. (He avoided meeting another person's gaze.)
  • She has a good eye for interior design. (She has good discernment for interior design.)
  • Thread the needle through the eye. (Pass the thread through the small hole in the needle.)

• Verb:

  • The detective eyed the suspect carefully. (The detective looked at the suspect carefully and with suspicion.)

Advanced Usage

• "In the eye of the storm": In a calm central area within a tumultuous situation.

  • While the company was in crisis, the CEO remained calm, as if in the eye of the storm.

• "To have an eye for": To have a talent for noticing or appreciating something specific.

  • He has an eye for vintage cars. (He has a talent for recognizing valuable vintage cars.)

• "To see eye to eye": To agree with someone.

  • The two managers don't always see eye to eye on policy. (The two managers do not always agree on policy.)

Variants and Related Words

• Eyeful (n): A good or satisfying look at something.
  • He got an eyeful of the beautiful sunset.
• Eyeless (adj): Lacking eyes.
• Eyelet (n): A small hole in fabric for a lace or cord to pass through.
  • She laced the boot through the eyelets.

Synonyms

• Noun (organ): Optic, peeper (informal).
• Noun (look): Gaze, glance, stare.
• Verb: Observe, watch, scrutinize, view.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Eye up: To look at someone or something in a desiring or appraising way.
  • He eyed up the new car in the showroom. (He looked at the new car with desire.)
• Catch someone's eye: To attract someone's attention.
  • The bright red dress caught my eye. (The bright red dress attracted my attention.)

Related Idioms

• An eye for an eye (and a tooth for a tooth): The principle of demanding punishment that is exactly equal to the crime committed.
  • He believed in justice, but not in the principle of an eye for an eye.
• Keep an eye on: To watch or look after something or someone.
  • Can you keep an eye on my bag while I go to the restroom?
• Turn a blind eye: To pretend not to notice something bad or wrong.
  • The manager turned a blind eye to the minor safety violations.
• The apple of someone's eye: A person or thing that someone loves very much.
  • His youngest daughter is the apple of his eye.

Verb

1. look at

Noun

1. a small hole or loop (as in a needle)
   • the thread wouldn't go through the eye
2. an area that is approximately central within some larger region
   • it is in the center of town
   • they ran forward into the heart of the struggle
   • they were in the eye of the storm
3. attention to what is seen
   • he tried to catch her eye
4. good discernment (either visually or as if visually)
   • she has an eye for fresh talent
   • he has an artist's eye
5. the organ of sight