I. ˈī noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English eie, eye, eighe, from Old English ēage; akin to Old High German ouga eye, Old Norse auga, Gothic augo, Latin oculus eye, Greek osse (two) eyes, ōps eye, face, Sanskrit akṣi eye
1.
a.
(1) : an organ of sight consisting typically of a light-recipient mechanism that by variation of state of pigmentation or refractive index or by muscular or other adjustment regulates the light that reaches a light-sensitive region which projects sensory stimuli due to impinging light to the central nervous system : photoreceptor : the human eyeball protected by movable upper and lower eyelids, movable in its bony orbit by means of four rectus and two oblique muscles, and having externally a tough fibrous sclerotic coat of which the anterior one sixth forms the transparent cornea, a middle highly vascular coat modified anteriorly into the iris, ciliary body, and related structures separated from the cornea by the anterior chamber of the eye and posteriorly into the choroid that underlies the retina, and the retina which is an inner receptive layer, lining the posterior and lateral walls of the large posterior chamber of the eye and on which light passing through the cornea and pupil of the iris is focused by a crystalline lens to form an inverted image of objects in the visual field that is transmitted along sensory paths of the optic nerves to the brain — see accommodation 6, vision 3b; compaare focus 2, image 2a
(2) : the eye and any closely associated supporting or protective structures (as an eyelid, eyelash, or eyebrow) : the whole region within and surrounding the orbit of the eye
(3) : the iris of the eye ; specifically : the distinctively colored anterior surface of the iris
a girl with blue eyes
b.
(1) : the faculty of seeing with or as if with the eyes
a keen eye for significant detail — C.A.Lejeune
: sight , vision : power of perceiving physically or mentally
a good eye for what is essential
(2) : the ability to see very keenly or with special clarity : keen discernment : keen discrimination and appreciation
an eye for beauty
he has an artist's eye
(3) : range of vision : visual field
c.
(1) : look , glance , gaze , view
peering through the window with an eager eye
universities have cast a critical eye on both the methods and the materials — R. de Kieffer
they were often in the public eye
(2) : a very attentive look : close watch : close observation or supervision : scrutiny
the workmen were at almost all times immediately under the eye of their employers — Ben Riker
I've got to keep an eye on the road — Ellen Glasgow
d. : point of view : way of looking at something : judgment
in the eye of the law
in his eyes she was beautiful — Edith Sitwell
2. : something having an appearance suggestive of an eye: as
a.
(1) : the hole through the head of a needle
(2) : a hole designed to receive a rope, shaft hook, or other object ; specifically : a hole in an implement (as an ax or hammer) designed for the insertion of a handle
(3) : the hole in an upper millstone
(4) : the central opening in a centrifugal impeller
b. : one of the holes formed in some cheeses (as Swiss cheese) during ripening
c.
(1) : a usually circular marking (as on a peacock's tail or on the wings of a butterfly) ; also : a small dark spot (as on an egg)
(2) : a bright spot, band, or circular area (as of light)
the trolley car rumbled toward them, a clanking eye of light in the distance — Irwin Shaw
(3) : an aggregate of minerals exposed in the surface of a rock and having an appearance contrasting with the surface so as to form a more or less conspicuous area
d.
(1) : a loop (as at the end of a rope)
(2) : a loop (as of thread) or other catch (as a transverse piece of metal) designed to receive a hook (as for fastening together the opposite edges of a garment)
hooks and eyes on a dress
(3) : a bound or stitched slit or a loop through which a button is passed : buttonhole
(4) : a ring through which a rod (as for a curtain) is passed
(5) : a loop at either end of the bowstring of an archer's bow used for attaching the string to the bow
(6) : a loop bent in the end of the shank of a fishhook or a hole drilled through the shank for attaching a line or leader
e.
(1) : an undeveloped bud (as on a potato)
(2) : the depression at the calyx end of some fruits (as apples or pears)
(3) : the hilum (as of a bean)
f. eyes plural : crab's-eye
g.
(1) : the opening from which the water of a spring wells out of the earth
(2) : an opening that leads into a mine shaft
(3) : an opening at the top of a cupola — compare oculus
(4) : a peephole in the walls of a furnace
(5) : an aperture through which light enters ; specifically : the lens of a camera
h. : an area like a hole or column in the center of a tropical cyclone marked by only light winds or complete calm with no precipitation and sometimes by a sunlit clear sky
the eye of a hurricane
i. : the center of a flower especially when differently colored or marked : the disk in composites
j.
(1) : the indentation on the inside of a bivalve shell (as the oyster) where the adductor muscle is inserted : cicatrix
(2) : the adductor muscle of a bivalve mollusk especially when used as food
the eyes of scallops
(3) : the osculum of a fibrous sponge
k.
(1) : a triangular piece of beef cut from between the top and bottom of the round
(2) : the chief muscle of a chop
(3) : a compact mass of muscular tissue usually embedded in fat in a rib or loin cut of meat
l. : a very small nugget of gold or platinum
m. : a device (as a photoelectric cell) that functions in a manner analogous to human vision : electric eye
3. : something that is central or is felt to be central (as in location or importance) : focal point : center
4. obsolete : a light touch of color : tinge
5.
a. : the direction from which the wind is blowing
sailing into the wind's eye
b. eyes plural : the forward part in the bows of a ship near the hawseholes
6. slang : detective
a private eye
7. : melatope
•
- all eyes
- all one's eye
- at eye
- cut an eye
- do in the eye
- give an eye to
- give the big eye
- give the eye to
- have an eye to
- have eyes only for
- have in one's eye
- have one's eye on
- in a pig's eye
- keep an eye out
- keep one's eyes open
- make eyes
- my eye
- see eye to eye
- set one's eyes by
- throw eyes at
- to the eye
- up to one's eyes
- with an eye to
- with half an eye
[s]eye.jpg[/s] [
eye 1a: 1 optic nerve, 2 blind spot, 3 fovea, 4 sclera, 5 choroid, 6 retina, 7 ciliary body, 8 posterior chamber, 9 anterior chamber, 10 cornea, 11 lens, 12 iris, 13 suspensory ligament, 14 conjunctiva, 15 vitreous humor
]
II. verb
( eyed ; eyed ; eyeing or eying ; eyes )
Etymology: Middle English eyen, from eie, eye, n.
transitive verb
1.
a. : to fix the eyes on : turn the eyes toward
after speaking with her he eyed the letter she was carrying
: look at : look upon : view : gaze upon
the child eyed the wonder from a safe distance — Edison Marshall
: stare at
the detective eyed the bald man searchingly — T.M.Johnson
b. archaic : to have a visual perception of : get a look at : catch sight of : see
2.
a. : to keep a close watch on : watch carefully : study closely : keep an eye on
eyeing every change in the stock market
b. : to have or keep (as an objective or point of reference) in view : look to
the cold calculations of statesmen eyeing the national advantage — Oscar Handlin
: aim at
3. : to furnish with an eye : make an eye in
4. : to remove the undeveloped buds of (a potato)
intransitive verb
1. obsolete : to appear to the eye : seem , look
they do not eye well to you — Shakespeare
2. : to become eyed
in 30 to 45 days the eggs begin to eye up — Scientific American