Hi dear English learners! Here is another lesson with body parts idioms. Today, it is about 20 idioms using the word EYE.
- 1. Your eyes are bigger than your belly/stomach
- 2. Eyes out on stalks
- 3. A bird’s eye view
- 4. Can do something with your eyes shut/closed
- 5. An eye for an eye
- 6. The apple of your eye
- 7. Be all eyes
- 8. Be in the public eye
- 9. More than meets the eye
- 10. In the blink of an eye
- 11. Can’t take your eyes off
- 12. To keep your eyes peeled
- 13. Can’t believe your eyes
- 14. To see eye to eye
- 15. Have stars in your eyes
- 16. Catch someone’s eye
- 17. Have eyes in the back of your head
- 18. Feast your eyes on something
- 19. Turn a blind eye
- 20. Cry your eyes out
1. Your eyes are bigger than your belly/stomach
We usually use this idiom to say that you took more food than you can eat.
For example:
- I put too much food on my plate and now I can’t eat all of it. My eyes are bigger than my stomach.
- Sometimes when I revise for my exams, I get nervous and eat too much. My mum then tells me that my eyes are bigger than my stomach.
2. Eyes out on stalks
If your eyes are out on stalks, then you are so surprised by what you see that your eyes almost pop out, like in cartoons. Anyway, this idiom is to show us the high degree of someone’s amazement or eager curiosity.
For example:
- Brian’s eyes were out on stalks when he saw his parents at the door at 3 a.m.
- My wife likes romantic movies, so I suppose her eyes will be on stalks when she sees this one.
3. A bird’s eye view
This idiom has two meanings. one refers to a view you get from a high place such as an aeroplane or a tall building; the other has a figurative meaning, referring to seeing things more clearly.
For example:
- When we were on holiday, our hotel room was on the top floor so we had a beautiful bird’s eye view of the surrounding.
- Robert’s report provided a bird’s eye view of the company’s financial situation.
4. Can do something with your eyes shut/closed
If you can do something with your eyes closed, either it is an easy thing to do or you are very skilled at doing it.
For example:
- I’ve been doing my job for so long that I could do it with my eyes closed.
- I know this road so well that I could drive with my eyes shut.
5. An eye for an eye
The expression “eye for an eye” starts from the idea that if someone did something wrong to you then you should do the same thing to them in return. The full expression is “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” with the same meaning.
For example:
- The only law mafia respects is “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”. But I’m sure things can’t be that simple when it comes to justice.
- Gandhi once said that an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.
6. The apple of your eye
If you say that someone or something is an apple of your eye, you say that it is your favourite person or thing.
For example:
- Peter’s eldest son was the apple of his eye.
- My new apartment is the apple of my eye.
7. Be all eyes
If you are all eyes, then you’re watching something intently and with a lot of interest.
For example:
- The children were all eyes when they saw Santa Claus.
- People in the audience were all eyes when the celebrity musician showed up on the stage.
8. Be in the public eye
A person who’s in the public eye is someone everyone is talking about; we can see such people a lot in the news, on TV, etc.
- The famous fashion model has been in the public eye ever since her husband was murdered.
- The famous football player is spending his holiday on a small island, away from the public eye.
9. More than meets the eye
This expression means that things are more complicated than they seemed at first.
For example:
- My job is so complicated. There is much more to it than meets the eye.
- The scientist wanted to take more precautions before investigating it, so I figured out there’s more to it than meets the eye.
10. In the blink of an eye
The idiom refers to something happening very quickly or instantly, just like the blink of an eye.
For example:
- It was a sunny day and in the blink of an eye, it started to rain.
- In the blink of an eye, the thief got off the bus altogether with my wallet.
11. Can’t take your eyes off
If you can’t take your eyes off something, then you can’t stop looking at someone or something.
For example:
- Tom was staring at Sarah in her bridal gown and couldn’t take his eyes off her because she looked gorgeous.
- Darling, you grew up so much. I simply can’t take my eyes off you!
12. To keep your eyes peeled
If you keep your eyes peeled, you carefully watch for something.
For example:
- It’s nighttime and you’re tired, so will you please keep your eyes peeled on the road?
- I’ve heard the inspector might visit us today, so keep your eyes peeled. We don’t want him to see us unprepared.
13. Can’t believe your eyes
If you say that you can’t believe your eyes, you must be shocked or surprised.
For example:
- When I visited my home town ten years later, I couldn’t believe my eyes how much it has changed.
- John couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw his dog’s back home after being lost for three days.
14. To see eye to eye
People who see eye to eye feel alike about something or agree about it.
For example:
- The two friends saw eye to eye to most things so they rarely argued.
- Terry didn’t see eye to eye with his boss, but he had to be silent.
15. Have stars in your eyes
If you have stars in your eyes, then you dream about something with a lot of enthusiasm and hope.
For example:
- Ivan has stars in his eyes whenever he talks about the book he’s writing.
- Talking about their coming marriage and honeymoon, both Sally and Darren had stars in their eyes.
16. Catch someone’s eye
To catch someone’s eye means to draw their attention.
For example:
- It was a crowd but I managed to catch the waiter’s eye and order breakfast.
- Nora was walking in the park when an unknown man sitting on the bench caught her eye.
17. Have eyes in the back of your head
The idiom refers to someone’s ability to see everything that’s going on around them, even beyond their area of vision.
For example:
- Be careful what you’re doing because our boss has eyes in the back of his head.
- Teachers need to have eyes in the back of their heads in order to keep the class under control.
18. Feast your eyes on something
if you feast your eyes on something, then you enjoy the sight of it.
For example:
- I finished decorating the fir tree. You are not allowed to touch it, just feast your eyes on it.
- Mary feasted her eyes on the painting in the gallery.
19. Turn a blind eye
To turn a blind eye means to ignore something.
For example:
- The principal of our school always turns a blind eye when it comes to drug abuse in our school.
- Police are not supposed to turn a blind eye to illegal activities or take bribes from criminals.
20. Cry your eyes out
If you cried your eyes out, you must’ve been very sad and cried really hard for a long time.
For example:
- Simona cried her eyes out when her cat died.
- Whenever watching that sad movie, my mum cries her eyes out.
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Sayings, Maxims, and Proverbs About Eyes
Updated on August 17, 2019
The following idioms and expressions use the noun eye. Each idiom or expression has a definition and two example sentences to help with these common idiomatic expressions.
Apple of Someone’s Eye
The expression apple of my eye is often used when referring to family members, or those who are closest to us to mean that they are someone’s favorite person or object.
Jennifer is the apple of her father’s eye. He’s so proud of her.
My Mercedes is the apple of my eye.
Bird’s-eye View
Bird’s-eye view refers to a viewpoint from which one can see a wide area. This idiom is often used figuratively to mean that someone can see a situation from a wider perspective.
His bird’s-eye view of the market will help us beat our competitors.
The hotel provides a lovely bird’s-eye view over the bay.
Catch Someone’s Eye
Catch someone’s eye indicates that someone or something has gained attention.
I caught the server’s eye. He’ll be with us shortly.
That house on Elm street certainly caught my eye. Should we talk a look inside?
Cry One’s Eyes Out
Crying one’s eyes out is an idiom used for very sad events in one’s life. It means to cry for a very long time in a desperate manner such as at the loss of a loved one.
I think you just need to cry your eyes out to get it all out of your system.
Maria’s crying her eyes out. I wonder what happened?
Eagle Eye
Someone with an eagle eye has the ability to see important details and notice mistakes.
Show it to the editor. She has an eagle eye and will catch any mistake.
Luckily, Tom’s eagle eye saw the discounted sweater I was looking for.
Feast One’s Eyes on Something
If you feast your eyes on something, you enjoy the sight of something. This idiom is often used to boast about a possession of which you are very proud.
Feast your eyes on my new watch. Isn’t it beautiful?!
I can’t stop feasting my eyes on my new car.
Get a Black Eye
If you get a black eye, you receive a bruise from something around the eye. This idiom can also be used figuratively to mean to suffer a defeat.
I got a black eye when I bumped into the door.
I guess we got a black eye trying to compete with that big corporation.
Get Stars in One’s Eyes
Some young people get stars in their eyes because they become obsessed about show business.
Ever since Janet got the lead role in the high school play, she’s got stars in her eyes.
Just because you are handsome doesn’t mean you need to get stars in your eyes.
Give Someone the Eye
People will run when you give them the eye because you look at someone in an accusatory or disapproving manner.
The teacher was giving me the eye during the test. I guess he thought I might cheat.
Don’t give me the eye! You’re the one who caused this mess.
Have Eyes Bigger than Your Stomach
Unfortunately, it’s easy to put on weight if you have eyes bigger than your stomach because you desire more food than you can eat.
Little children tend to have eyes bigger than their stomachs.
I remember one crazy night when my best friend had eyes bigger than his stomach. He ordered more than six different meals!
Have Eyes in the Back of One’s Head
If you have eyes in the back of your head, you are be able to see what is going on. This can be frustrating because others might think they are being secretive and are not noticed.
My mom had eyes in the back of her head. I never got away with anything.
Do you have eyes in the back of your head? How did you notice that?
Hit the Bull’s-eye
When a person hits the bull’s-eye, they hit the center of the target. This expression is also used figuratively to express an impressive result.
I think we hit the bull’s-eye with our new product line.
You’ve hit the bull’s-eye by getting that job.
In the Public Eye
If you are in the public eye, you are in a position where the public can observe your actions, so be very careful!
You’ll be in the public eye if you take that job.
Hollywood actors are all in the public eye.
Keep One’s Eye on the Ball
People who can keep their eye on the ball remain concentrated, especially in a work situation.
You need to keep your eye on the ball, no matter how long it takes, to succeed.
His ability to keep his eye on the ball assured his eventual success.
Turn a Blind Eye to Someone or Something
Unfortunately, some people turn a blind eye to someone and show that they are willingly to ignore something wrong.
Just turn a blind eye to Ted. He’ll never change.
I’m going to turn a blind eye to that problem for the moment.
Without Batting an Eye
Most parents help their children without batting an eye because they do it without hesitation.
He purchased the $2 million home without batting an eye.
John made the decision without batting an eye.
FIll in the gaps with a word to complete these sentences with expressions using eye:
- Our boss has an ______ eye because he catches mistakes that others miss.
- Let’s take a ______ view of this situation to make sure we don’t miss anything.
- It’s surprising how many young people get ______ in their eyes and move to Hollywood to start a career.
- I ordered this cake, but it’s too much. I’m afraid I have eyes that are bigger than my ______.
- My daughter is the ______ of my eye.
- I think you hit the ______ when you made that investment. Today, you are a millionaire!
- She gave her daughter $500 without ______ an eye because she trusts her to spend it wisely.
- Would you please stop giving me the ______! You’re making me nervous!
- I got a ______ eye when I fell last week.
- Politicians are always in the ______ eye.
Answers
- eagle
- bird’s-eye
- stars
- stomach
- apple
- bull’s-eye
- batting
- eye
- black
- public
During this moment of suspense, the dark, threatening, eye of Mahtoree rolled from one of the strange parties to the other, in keen and hasty examination, and then it turned its withering look on the old man, as the chief said, in a tone of high and bitter scorn—
‘It opens the lungs, washes the countenance, exercises the eyes, and softens down the temper,’ said Mr.
His words had drawn Genevieve’s gaze to his face, and she had pleasured in the clear skin, the clear eyes, the cheek soft and smooth as a girl’s.
«I guess he does, unless your eyes get on faster than they have yet.»
It gave way, and in the instant that she entered her eye caught the scene—the Board standing about with open watches; Dempsey Donovan in his shirt sleeves dancing, light-footed, with the wary grace of the modern pugilist, within easy reach of his adversary; Terry O’Sullivan standing with arms folded and a murderous look in his dark eyes.
Cora met his gaze with an eye so calm and firm, that his resolution wavered.
Humans do this very thing, and some of them call it «free will.» Cocky, staring at the open door, was in just the stage of determining whether or not he should more closely inspect that crack of exit to the wider world, which inspection, in turn, would determine whether or not he should venture out through the crack, when his eyes beheld the eyes of the second discoverer staring in.
Forgotten, save once, when old One Eye stopped for a moment to lick his stiffening wounds.
Noirtier’s eye began to dilate, and his eyelids trembled with the same movement that may be perceived on the lips of an individual about to speak, and he darted a lightning glance at Madame de Villefort and his son.
Fledgeby’s small eyes opened so wide that they might have passed for ordinary-sized eyes, as he stared about him for the very young person whom he supposed to be in question.
What difference does it make to you if I am here when your eyes are closed!
The savage light died from his eyes, and as the stranger stepped forward toward Korak, Tantor trailed docilely at his heels.
«Let me introduce my brother to you,» said Helene, her eyes shifting uneasily from Natasha to Anatole.
But there were others who saw, and now and again, glancing at those about him, he noted two young girls who looked back from the row in front, a dozen seats along, and who smiled at him with bold eyes. He had always been easy-going.
A minute later he was at the entrance, peering in at us with his inflamed eyes and raging like a demon.
Eye Idioms: Isn’t the most valuable thing in our life is eyes. Various types of eye phrases and sayings have a definition to them—ever heard of an apple of one’s eye idioms? If someone has told you this, you are very precious to them. Expressions are used in almost every sentence, and it’s a miracle how you can incorporate them in your daily life, like with five-eye phrases or idioms for beautiful eyes.
Having a hold of a few commonly used expressions for eyes can change your conversation and make it very engaging and healthy. Thinking of which, we have made a list of a few commonly used eye idioms for you now; let’s have a quick look at them.
Enrich your Vocabulary by practicing the English Idioms that are commonly used in everyday conversations and understand their actual meaning.
Names of Eye Idioms
- Meaning and Examples of some commonly used Eye Idioms.
List of Eye Idioms
- Eagle eye
- Keep an eye on
- A private eye
- All my eye
- Wandering eye
- An eye for an eye
- Apple of one’s eye
- A bird’s eye view
- Catch someone’s eye
- Not a dry eye
- Black eye
- Cry your eyes out
- Out of the public eye
- In the public eye
- All eyes and ears
- Turn a blind eye
- Half an eye
- In the twinkling of an eye
- Eye to eye
- Eyes wide open
- Before your very eye
Meaning and Examples of some commonly used Eye Idioms.
Eagle eye
Meaning: Having eagle eyes means the ability to see and observe anything with concentration and no chance of missing it.
Example: The captain of the ship has an eagle eye; he saved all of us from getting hit by the iceberg.
Keep an eye on
Meaning: Keeping an eye on someone means observing a person very close to make sure they don’t cause problems generally.
Example: She tried to escape from the jail twice, keeping an eye on her every activity to avoid such nuisance.
A private eye
Meaning: Having a private eye on someone means to observe every activity very closely and can be said to work like a private detective.
Example: This man has been wandering around me lately; it looks like someone has hired him to keep a private eye on me.
All my eye
Meaning: watching a thing or person very closely primarily because of being moved by its qualities.
Example: That blond girl I saw yesterday is a sign of beauty; I had all my eyes on her.
Wandering eye
Meaning: Having a look at others with sexual or romanticized thoughts, mostly despite being in a relationship.
Example: Lissa has a wandering eye around men, but I hope she has never cheated on her husband.
An eye for an eye
Meaning: Works more like tit for tat, means a person should deserve the treatment or punishment the same way they acted with others.
Example: The murderer should be punished equally by treating others, an eye for an eye, nothing less.
Apple of one’s eye
Meaning: A person who is loved and cherished very much by someone close. It can be a loved one, a family member whose sadness cannot be seen by the other person.
Example: my little daughter is the most precious of my life; she is the apple of my eye.
A bird’s eye view
Meaning: a bird’s eye is a view from the very top of something or above. A bird’s eye doesn’t give a clear image but locates a view correctly.
Example: at such a mountain peak, we see everything in a bird’s eye view.
Catch someone’s eye
Meaning: Catching someone’s eye means to find a particular person beautiful and attractive. It can also refer to any worldly thing.
Example: The epic beauty she has is bound to catch your eyes.
Not a dry eye
Meaning: It means everyone present was very emotional and had a teary eye for some reason.
Example: We watched the newly released movie, and at the end of the film, there was not a dry eye in the theater.
Black eye
Meaning: a black eye means to punish someone very severely, causing some long-lasting harm in their body.
Example: the boys fought like dogs in the street and were left with a black eye on their bodies.
Cry your eyes out
Meaning: crying your eyes out means to cry very severely for a long time, resulting in a red and swollen face.
Example: I cried my eyes out after I lost my purse. I had my money and cards on it.
Out of the public eye
Meaning: Someone who is known but is not seen in public gatherings or not known by many people in general.
Example: After her husband died, she has rarely attended any functions and is primarily out of the public eye.
In the public eye
Meaning: a face that is very well known to people, specially e-inn social networking sites, keeps updating about their
Example: Sheela has more than a hundred thousand followers on YouTube; she is always in the public eye.
All eyes and ears
Meaning: all eyes and ears refer to someone who pays close attention and shows interest in every single detail around them.
Example: the kids have all eyes and ears when I am conducting a story class.
Turn a blind eye
Meaning: turning a blind eye to something means to legally not notice anything around them, as they don’t want to be involved.
Example: crimes are increasing day by day, but the government seems to have turned a blind eye towards them.
Half an eye
Meaning: To watch or hear something without paying full attention, more like juggling work.
Example: John kept half an eye on the weather outside as he kept playing video games.
In the twinkling of an eye
Meaning: In the twinkling of an eye, here means some action happening very quickly without taking much time. Suture to the twinkling of the eye means without giving them time to blink someone’s eye.
Example: the boy on the first bench of our class is very good at maths he can solve problems in the twinkling of your eye.
Eye to eye
Meaning: having an eye-to-eye conversation means to agree with a person’s views or opinion without questioning.
Example: I hardly see eye to eye with my partner for most of the reasons.
Eyes wide open
Meaning: having eyes wide open is refer to someone who has an interest and knowledge in many subjects. Also referred to someone who has experience in a particular matter do not get fooled.
Example: women are not safe on the road, so you should keep your eyes wide open before taking any step.
Before your very eye
Meaning: doing a particular activity a something happening right in front of someone’s eye before allowing them to take any action.
Example: the white Maruti car hit the beggar and went away before my eyes, leaving me completely dumbfounded.
EYE Idioms and Sayings! Learn useful phrases and idioms with EYES in English with meaning, example sentences and ESL picture to improve your English vocabulary.
Full list of body idioms in English with examples.
Eye Idioms & Sayings
List of Eye Idioms in English
- A Sight for Sore Eyes
- All Eyes And Ears
- All Eyes Are On
- An Eye for an Eye
- Catch Someone’s Eye
- Cry Your Eyes Out
- Keep an Eye On
- Keep an eye peeled
- See Eye to Eye
- See Something/somebody Out of the Corner of Your Eye
- To be the apple of someone’s eye
- Turn a Blind Eye (to)
- Wandering Eye
- Black Eye
- Blue Eyed Boy
- Baby Blues
Eye Idioms with Meaning and Examples
A Sight for Sore Eyes
- Meaning: Someone that you’re pleased to see
- Example: I’m so glad to see you! You’re a sight for sore eyes.
All Eyes And Ears
- Meaning: Attentive
- Example: The team was all eyes and ears as the coach explained the challenges ahead.
All Eyes Are On
- Meaning: Watching alertly or attentively.
- Example: After the candidate’s strong performance in the first debate, all eyes are on him to see if he will make a mistake this time.
An Eye for an Eye
- Meaning: Justice in which reparation or vengeance exactly matches the harm caused to the victim
- Example: Negotiations broke down, and the war devolved into an endless eye-for-an-eye cycle of revenge.
Catch Someone’s Eye
- Meaning: Attract someone’s attention
- Example: I was reading Internet classified ads, and an ad for an old Ford Mustang caught my eye.
Cry Your Eyes Out
- Meaning: Cry hard for a very long time
- Example: After my boyfriend broke up with me, I cried my eyes out.
Keep an Eye On
- Meaning: To keep an eye on something or someone is to watch it periodically, to keep it under surveillance.
- Example: I’m leaving my son with you for the day. Please keep an eye on him.
Keep an eye peeled
- Meaning: Be observant; watch out for something
- Example: If you go to the mall, keep an eye peeled for Anita-”she said she’s be there.
See Eye to Eye
- Meaning: To concur, agree
- Example: I don’t see eye to eye with Frances on the workflow, but she’s the boss.
See Something/somebody Out of the Corner of Your Eye
- Meaning: Use peripheral vision
- Example: How did you know I was here? You didn’t even look up! — I saw you out of the corner of my eye.
To be the apple of someone’s eye
- Meaning: To be loved and treasured by someone
- Example: You are the apple of my eye!
Turn a Blind Eye (to)
- Meaning: Choose not to notice something
- Example: My husband always supports me and is willing to turn a blind eye to my faults.
Wandering Eye
- Meaning: A tendency to look at and desire women or men other than one’s committed romantic partner
- Example: I know Sean has a wandering eye, but I’m sure he’s never cheated on me.
Black Eye
- Meaning: A mark of shame
- Example: By overcharging customers, you not only gave the company a black eye – you broke the law.
Blue Eyed Boy
- Meaning: A person who is a favorite of those in authority; someone whose mistakes are forgiven.
- Example: Steve is the supervisor’s blue-eyed boy. He doesn’t really do that much work, but it doesn’t seem to matter.
Baby Blues
- Meaning: Blue eyes.
- Example: I know Jason is bad for me, but when I get a look at his baby blues I can’t resist him.
Useful EYE Idioms in English | Image
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Body Parts Idioms
List of Body Idioms in English with meaning and examples.
- Head Idioms
- Face Idioms
- Nose Idioms
- Eye Idioms
- Ear Idioms
- Mouth Idioms
- Teeth Idioms
- Chin Idioms
- Lip Idioms
- Heart Idioms
- Hand Idioms
- Finger Idioms
- Foot Idioms
- Leg Idioms
- Thumb Idioms
- Neck Idioms
- Heel Idioms
- Arm Idioms
- Belly Idioms
- Shoulder Idioms
Last Updated on January 30, 2023