a twinkle in his eye
a gleam in his eye = a twinkle in his eye
a barely formed idea
a child who has not yet been conceived - humorous
RELATED IDIOMS :
an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth
used to refer to the belief that retaliation in kind is the appropriate way to deal with an offence or crime
This expression refers to the law of retribution as set out in the Old Testament (Exodus 21 : 24) known as lex talionis.
the eye of a needle
a very small opening or space (used to emphasize the impossibility of a projected endeavour)
This phrase comes from Matthew 19 : 24 : It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
2001 – Four Four Two - Able to thread a pass through the eye of a needle, he can play in the centre or on either flank.
the eye of the storm
the calm region at the centre of a storm or hurricane
the most intense part of a tumultuous situation
1998 - Times - He [Mr. Yeltsin] was now our heroic figure in the eye of the storm preaching defiance from the top of a tank outside the White House.
be all eyes
be watching eagerly and attentively
1958 - Jessie Kesson - The White Bird Passes - Standing there all eyes and ears. Beat it before I take the lights from you.
clap eyes on = lay eyes on = set eyes on
see – informal
1992 - Barry Unsworth - Sacred Hunger - If we go by the indications of the play, these two charmers have never clapped eyes on a man before, never flirted, never known the sweets of love.
get your eye in = keep your eye in
become {or remain) able to make good judgements about a task or occupation in which you are engaged – British
close your eyes to = shut your eyes to
refuse to notice or acknowledge something unwelcome or unpleasant
do a person in the eye
defraud, thwart or humiliate a person
1930 - J. B. Priestley - Angel Pavement - He'd invented the job five minutes before, just to do mother in the eye.
eyes out on stalks
full of eager curiosity or amazement – informal
1999 - Escape - This breathtaking graphics accelerator takes 3D game play on PCI systems to a whole new dimension of excitement with imagery so realistic your eyes will be out on stalks.
give someone the glad eye = give someone the eye
look at someone in a way that clearly indicates your sexual interest in them – informal
1992 - James Meek - Last Orders - If it was an attractive woman, men would give her the eye.
go eyes out
make every effort – Australian informal
half an eye
a slight degree of perception or attention
1962 - Cyprian Ekwensi - Burning Grass – His sandals were new because it was market day or perhaps he had half an eye to some maiden.
have an eye for
be able to recognize, appreciate and make good judgements about a particular thing
2003 – Observer - Europe's oldest continually inhabited city is Cadiz, founded by the Phoenicians in 1100 BC, but those wily Phoenicians, with an eye for a good setting, founded Malaka further along the Andalucian coast a few hundred years later in 800 BC.
have an eye for the main chance = have an eye on the main chance = have an eye to the main chance = with an eye for the main chance = with an eye on the main chance = with an eye to the main chance
look or be looking for an opportunity to take advantage of a situation for personal gain especially when this is financial
This expression is taken from the use of main chance in the gambling game of hazard where it refers to a number (5, 6, 7 or 8) called by a player before throwing the dice.
have eyes bigger than your stomach
have asked for or taken more food than you can actually eat
have eyes in the back of your head
observe everything that is happening even when this is apparently impossible
1991 - Barbara Anderson - Girls High - They were all in Miss Royston's class who said that she had eyes in the back of her head and they half believed it, because how else did she know.
have square eyes
habitually watch television to excess
hit him in the eye = hit him in between the eyes
be very obvious or impressive – informal
2001 - Independent - When I saw the technology in operation, it hit me between the eyes. I was happy to give him £20,000 and became a nonexecutive director.
keep an eye out for = keep an eye open for
look out for something with particular attention
1996 - Guardian - Keep an eye open for kingklip, a delectable fish and the superb local hake.
keep your eye on the ball
keep your attention focused on the matter in hand
keep your eyes open = keep your eyes peeled = keep your eyes skinned
be on the alert
watch carefully or vigilantly for something
make eyes at someone
look at someone in a way that makes it clear you find them sexually attractive
there is more to him than meets the eye = there is more to it than meets the eye
a person or situation is more complex or interesting than they appear
all my eye and Betty Martin
nonsense – informal – dated
Who or what Betty Martin was has never been satisfactorily explained. Another version of the saying also in use in the late 18th century was all my eye and my elbow.
1991 - Robertson Davies - Murther & Walking Spirits - Of course many of the grievances are all my eye and Betty Martin (Anna has picked up this soldier's phrase from her husband and likes to use it to show how thoroughly British she has become).
one in the eye for
a disappointment or setback for someone or something, especially one that is perceived as being well deserved
open his eyes
enlighten someone about certain realities
cause someone to realize or discover something
1998 - Scoular Anderson - 1314 & All That – These events opened his eyes to what had happened to his country. Now his one wish was that Scotland should be independent.
pull the wool over his eyes
deceive someone especially by telling untruths
1997 - Spectator - On no occasion do I remember Ridsdale trying to pull the wool over my eyes but rather trying always to remove the wool that journalists pull over their own eyes.
see eye to eye
have similar views or attitudes to something
be in full agreement
1997 - A. Sivanandran - When Memory Dies – We don't see eye to eye about anything - work, having children, what's going on in the country.
his eye view
a view from the position or standpoint of the person or thing specified
The most common versions of this phrase are bird's-eye view and worm's-eye view.
1982 - Ian Hamilton - Robert Lowell - There is a kind of double vision. The Child's eye view judged and interpreted by the ironical narrator.
shut your eyes to
be willfully ignorant of
1993 - Isidore Okpewho – Tides - In the last few weeks, it has become clear to me that this peace and quiet may elude me if I shut my eyes to the all too obvious suffering of people around me.
turn a blind eye
pretend not to notice
This phrase is said to be a reference to Admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805) who lifted a telescope to his blind eye at the Battle of Copenhagen (1801), thereby ensuring that he failed to see his superior's signal to discontinue the action. A less usual version, referring directly to this story, is turn a Nelson eye.
up to your eyes in
very busy with or deeply involved in – informal
what the eye does not see the heart does not grieve over
if you're unaware of an unpleasant fact or situation you can't be troubled by it – proverb
with one eye on
giving some but not all your attention to
1977 - Craig Thomas - Firefox - With one eye on the JPT (jet-pipe temperature) gauge he opened the throttles until the rpm gauges were at fifty-five percent and the whine had increased comfortably.
with your eyes open
in full awareness
1999 - Salman Rushdie - The Ground Beneath Her Feet - I've always liked to stick my face right up against the hot sweaty broken surface of what was being done, with my eyes open.
with your eyes shut = with your eyes closed
without having to make much effort
easily
without considering the possible difficulties or consequences
1994 - New Scientist - I can knock off pages of eco-babble for the UN with my eyes shut.
eyeball to eyeball
face to face with someone, especially in an aggressive way
give someone the hairy eyeball
stare at someone in a disapproving or angry way, especially with your eyelids partially lowered - North American informal
1992 - Guy Vanderhaeghe - Things As They Are - The commissioner giving him the hairy eyeball all through the service didn't do anything for Reg's increasing bad humour either.
up to the eyeballs = up to your eyeballs
used to emphasize the extreme degree of an undesirable situation or condition – informal
2000 - Time - Consumers are up to their eyeballs in debt, and the strain shows.
raise your eyebrows = raise an eyebrow
show surprise, disbelief or mild disapproval
by an eyelash
by a very small margin
cut your eye teeth
acquire initial practice or experience of a particular sphere of activity or with a particular organization.
The form cut your eye teeth is also found. The image is that of the emergence of a baby's teeth from its gums.
give your eye teeth for
go to any lengths in order to obtain something
The eye teeth are the two canine teeth in the upper jaw.
1930 - W. Somerset Maugham - Cakes & Ale - He'd give his eye-teeth to have written a book half as good.
a twinkle in his eye :
Idioms Index – Previous Page
