eye
eye
Pronunciation
The word "eye" is a single-syllable word.
/aɪ/
Word Form Variations
Singular: eye
Plural: eyes
Verb (base form): eye
Verb (third-person singular present): eyes
Verb (present participle): eyeing
Verb (past tense/past participle): eyed
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
A complex sensory organ in animals that detects light and converts it into electrochemical impulses, forming images that are then interpreted by the brain, allowing for the sense of sight.
Synonyms: orb, optic, peeper (informal), oculus (technical)
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms, as it's an organ. Concepts like "blindness" describe its absence of function.)
The ability to see; vision.
Synonyms: sight, vision, perception, discernment
Antonyms: blindness, imperception
A keen sense of observation or judgment; a particular viewpoint or way of looking at something.
Synonyms: perspective, viewpoint, outlook, discernment, insight, acumen
Antonyms: oversight, blindness, ignorance
A small, usually circular, hole or opening, often serving a practical purpose, such as for threading a needle or a hook for fastening.
Synonyms: hole, aperture, loop, opening, eyelet
Antonyms: closure, solid
Verb
To look at someone or something carefully and intently, often with suspicion, curiosity, or desire.
Synonyms: gaze, stare, peer, observe, scrutinize, regard, watch
Antonyms: ignore, disregard, overlook, glance (briefly)
Examples of Use
Books:
"He had an eye for detail, noticing the smallest imperfections in the antique furniture." (Example sentence, often found in character descriptions in novels)
"The detective's eyes narrowed as he considered the suspect's alibi." (Example sentence, frequently used in mystery or thriller novels to convey suspicion or thought)
Newspapers:
"The central bank is keeping a close eye on inflation figures as the economy navigates uncertain times." (Business section, Financial Times, general reporting style)
"Local residents cast a wary eye on the proposed development, concerned about its environmental impact." (The Guardian, often in local news or environmental reports)
Online Publications:
"Apple's new product launch caught the eye of tech enthusiasts worldwide." (The Verge, product review or news article headline)
"Experts eye artificial intelligence as a major disruptor in the coming decade." (TechCrunch, analytical article headline or opening sentence)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: (Dialogue from a crime drama) "Keep an eye out for anything unusual around the perimeter." (The Departed, 2006)
Television Series: (Narrator's voiceover in a nature documentary) "The eagle's keen eye allows it to spot prey from miles above." (Planet Earth, BBC)
Music (Song Title/Lyrics): "Don't it make my brown eyes blue?" (Song: "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" by Crystal Gayle)
Video Games: (In-game tutorial text) "Press 'E' to use your character's special eye ability." (Dishonored, Bethesda Softworks)
Podcasts: (Discussion on a current events podcast) "We'll have to eye the political landscape closely as the elections approach." (The Daily, The New York Times)
General Public Discourse:
"I need to get my eyes checked; I've been getting headaches lately." (Common conversation about health)
"That new restaurant really caught my eye; the menu looks amazing." (Casual conversation about a new discovery)
"We're keeping an eye on the weather forecast for the picnic this weekend." (Everyday planning or conversation)
"She has a good eye for fashion." (Complimenting someone's taste)
10 Famous Quotes Using Eye
"The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend." (Henri Bergson)
"The soul, fortunately, has an interpreter - often an unconscious but still a faithful interpreter - in the eye." (Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre)
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." (Margaret Wolfe Hungerford, Molly Bawn)
"An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind." (Mahatma Gandhi)
"The eye is the jewel of the body." (Henry David Thoreau)
"In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king." (Desiderius Erasmus)
"Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you're living?" (Bob Marley)
"When one eye is ever on the future, the other is blind to the present." (Proverb)
"The eye of a human being is a microscope, which makes the world look smaller than it really is." (Kahlil Gibran, Sand and Foam)
"The eye is the mirror of the soul." (Proverb)
Etymology
The word "eye" has a long and interesting history, tracing its roots back thousands of years!
In Old English (the language spoken in England before the Norman Conquest in 1066), the word was ēage (pronounced something like "EH-ah-geh"). At this time, it already meant "the organ of sight," but also "the region around the eye" and even "an opening or hole," like the eye of a needle. In fact, "the eye of a needle" was a phrase already used in Old English!
This Old English word ēage came from an even older language called Proto-Germanic, which is the ancestor of English, German, Dutch, and other Germanic languages. In Proto-Germanic, the word was reconstructed as augō, also meaning "eye."
Going back even further, Proto-Germanic augō likely developed from a much older, reconstructed language called Proto-Indo-European (PIE). PIE is the shared ancestor of a vast family of languages, including not just Germanic languages, but also Latin, Greek, Sanskrit, and many others. The PIE root for "eye" is thought to be *okw-, which essentially meant "to see" or "eye." You can see hints of this ancient root in words like "ocular" (from Latin oculus) or "optic" (from Greek optikos), both related to sight.
So, in simple terms, the word "eye" has been used to describe the organ of sight for a very, very long time, with its meaning being quite consistent from its earliest known forms. The journey from PIE to Proto-Germanic to Old English and finally to modern English involved natural sound changes and linguistic evolution over millennia.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Eye
An eye for an eye
In the blink of an eye
Turn a blind eye
Keep an eye on
See eye to eye
Catch someone's eye
Give someone the eye
With half an eye
Mind's eye
The eye of the storm
Apple of my eye
Easy on the eyes
A bird's eye view
Cast an eye over
Close one's eyes to
Have an eye for
In one's mind's eye
Keep your eye on the ball
Make eyes at
More than meets the eye
Open one's eyes
Pull the wool over someone's eyes
See with new eyes
The eye of the needle
Up to one's eyes in
Wink an eye
Bedroom eyes
Black eye
Evil eye
Green eyes (envy)
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of eye from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
