20 Idioms Using the Word EYE

20 Idioms Using the Word EYE

Hi dear English learners! Here is another lesson with body parts idioms. Today, it is about 20 idioms using the word EYE.

1. 1. Your eyes are bigger than your belly/stomach 
2. 2. Eyes out on stalks
3. 3. A bird’s eye view
4. 4. Can do something with your eyes shut/closed
5. 5. An eye for an eye
6. 6. The apple of your eye
7. 7. Be all eyes
8. 8. Be in the public eye
9. 9. More than meets the eye
10. 10. In the blink of an eye ​
11. 11. Can’t take your eyes off
12. 12. To keep your eyes peeled
13. 13. Can’t believe your eyes
14. 14. To see eye to eye 
15. 15. Have stars in your eyes
16. 16. Catch someone’s eye
17. 17. Have eyes in the back of your head
18. 18. Feast your eyes on something
19. 19. Turn a blind eye
20. 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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