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Archive Language Point 115

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Idioms with 'eyes'

Helen in the kitchen

Idioms use language metaphorically rather than literally. If you can 'do something with your eyes closed', it means you know something very well and can do it without really concentrating (the metaphorical meaning) not that you actually close your eyes while you are doing something (the literal meaning).

Idioms are also fixed groups of words so you can't change the wording of an idiom. For example, you can say 'She's got eyes in the back of her head' to mean that she is very aware of what's going on around her but you can't say 'She's got eyes in the back of her hands'.

Idioms with 'eye'

to turn a blind eye:
to ignore something that you know is wrong
The professor decided to turn a blind eye to what John had done.

to have eyes in the back of your head:
to know everything and be aware of everything that is happening around you:
She's a primary school teacher so she needs to have eyes in the back of her head when she's looking after 25 seven year-olds.

to see eye to eye:
to agree with or to have the same opinions as someone else
We're really good friends but we just can't see eye to eye on politics.

to see something out of the corner of your eye:
to see something but not clearly because it happens to the side of you or just out of your line of vision
He screamed when he thought he saw a spider out of the corner of his eye.

to pull the wool over someone's eyes:
to try to deceive someone to stop them finding out something
Don't try to pull the wool over my eyes. You weren't sick at all. Your mum told me you went to the football match yesterday.

to keep your eyes peeled
to watch out for something or someone carefully
I know my keys are here somewhere. Keep your eyes peeled for them, will you?

to be more to someone/something than meets the eye
to find it more difficult to understand someone or something than you first thought it would be
The new boss seems very boring but since I saw her at that party on Saturday night, I'm sure there's more to her than meets the eye.

Idioms with 'eyebrows' and 'eyelids'

not to bat an eyelid (this expression is always used in the negative)
to show no sign of surprise or worry when something unexpected or strange happens
And then, even when my trousers split, she still didn't bat an eyelid.

It raised a few eyebrows (this expression is usually used in the passive) show surprise or worry when something unexpected or strange happens
It raised a few eyebrows when he said he was marrying someone 20 years younger than him.

Vocabulary

a turnaround
a change from one thing to its opposite

you're desperate to tell me
you really want to tell me

knuckle down (informal)
start working or studying hard

indiscretion
something which you did wrong and wanted to keep secret but which someone else found out about

put the kettle on
to fill a pot with water and boil it (usually to make tea)

 

 
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