lay eyes on

Variant of eye

eye definition

eye (ī)

noun

  1. the organ of sight in humans and animals
    1. the eyeball
    2. the iris brown eyes
  3. the area around the eye, including the eyelids to get a black eye
  4. the power of seeing; sight; vision weak eyes
  5. a look; glance; gaze to cast an eye on something
  6. attention; regard; observation
  7. the power of judging, estimating, discriminating, etc. by eyesight a good eye for distances
  8. judgment; opinion; estimation in the eyes of the law
  9. a thing like an eye in appearance or function; specif.,
    1. a bud of a tuber, as a potato
    2. the spot on a peacock's tail feather
    3. the center of a flower; disk
    4. a hole in a tool, as for a handle
    5. the threading hole in a needle
    6. a loop of metal, rope, or thread hook and eye
    7. an organ sensitive to light, as in certain lower forms of life
    8. photoelectric cell
    9. a section of any of certain cuts of meat eye of round
    10. a hole, as in certain cheeses
  10. Slang a private detective; private eye
  11. Meteorol. the calm, low-pressure area at the center of a hurricane, around which winds of high velocity move
  12. Naut. the part of the main deck of a vessel that is farthest forward

Etymology: ME ey, eie < OE ēage, akin to Ger auge < IE base *okw-, to see > Gr osse, eyes, ōps, face, eye, L oculus

transitive verb eyed, eyeing eye′·ing or eying ey′·ing

  1. to look at; watch carefully; observe
  2. to provide with eyes, or holes

intransitive verb

Obsolete to appear (to the eyes)
eye Idioms

all eyes

extremely attentive

an eye for an eye

punishment or retaliation similar or equivalent to the injury suffered

catch someone's eye

to attract someone's attention

eyes right (or left)

Mil. a command to snap the head to the right (or left) while marching, as a salute when passing in review

feast one's eyes on

to look at with pleasure or admiration

give someone the eye

☆
Slang to look at someone, esp. in an admiring or inviting way

have an eye for

to have a keen appreciation of

have an eye to

to watch out for; attend to

have eyes for

Informal to be very interested in and want

in a pig's eye

Slang never; under no circumstances

in the eye of the wind

Naut. directly against the wind

in the public eye

  1. much seen in public
  2. often brought to public attention; well-known

keep an eye on

to look after; watch carefully

keep an eye out for

☆
to be watchful for

keep one's eyes open (or peeled or skinned)

to be on the lookout; be watchful

lay (or set or clap) eyes on

to see; look at

make eyes at

to look at amorously or flirtatiously

my eye!

Slang an exclamation of contradiction, astonishment, etc.

open someone's eyes

to make someone aware of the facts, real reasons, etc.

run one's eye over

to glance at hurriedly

see eye to eye

to agree completely

see with half an eye

to see or understand (something) easily because it is so evident

shut one's eyes to

to refuse to see or think about

with an eye to

paying attention to; considering

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.