eye

¹eye

noun \ˈī\

Definition of EYE

1

a : a specialized light-sensitive sensory structure of animals that in nearly all vertebrates, most arthropods, and some mollusks is the image-forming organ of sight; especially : the nearly spherical usually paired hollow organ of sight in vertebrates that is filled with a jellylike material, is lined with a photosensitive retina, and is lodged in a bony orbit in the skull

b : all the visible structures within and surrounding the orbit and including eyelids, eyelashes, and eyebrows

c (1) : the faculty of seeing with eyes (2) : the faculty of intellectual or aesthetic perception or appreciation <an eye for beauty> (3) : skill or ability dependent upon eyesight <a batter with a good eye>

d : look, glance <cast an eager eye>

e (1) : an attentive look <kept an eye on his valuables> (2) : attention, notice <caught his eye> (3) : close observation : scrutiny <works under the eye of her boss> <in the public eye>

f : point of view, judgment <beauty is in the eye of the beholder> —often used in plural <an offender in the eyes of the law>

2

: something having an appearance suggestive of an eye: as

a : the hole through the head of a needle

b : a usually circular marking (as on a peacock's tail)

c : loop; especially : a loop or catch to receive a hook

d : an undeveloped bud (as on a potato)

e : an area like a hole in the center of a tropical cyclone marked by only light winds or complete calm with no precipitation

f : the center of a flower especially when differently colored or marked; specifically : the disk of a composite

g (1) : a triangular piece of beef cut from between the top and bottom of a 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

h : a device (as a photoelectric cell) that functions in a manner analogous to human vision

3

: something central : center <the eye of the problem — Norman Mailer>

4

: the direction from which the wind is blowing

— eye·less \ˈī-ləs\ adjective

— eye·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective

— an eye for an eye

: retribution in kind

— my eye

—used to express mild disagreement or sometimes surprise <a diamond, my eye! That's glass>

— with an eye to also with an eye toward

1

: with awareness or contemplation of <with an eye to the future>

2

: with the object of <built the house with an eye to adding on later>

Examples of EYE

1. Her eyes slowly became accustomed to the dark.
2. He wears a patch over one eye.
3. I have something in my eye.
4. Only a trained eye can tell the difference between the original painting and a good copy.
5. For decorating, they rely on her discerning eye.
6. He has an artist's eye for color.
7. He reviewed the proposal with a jaundiced eye.
8. The biographer cast a cold eye on the artist's life.

Illustration of EYE

Origin of EYE

Middle English, from Old English ēage; akin to Old High German ouga eye, Latin oculus, Greek ōps eye, face, Sanskrit akṣi eye

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to EYE

Synonyms

band, circle, ¹ring, hoop, loop, round

Related Words

belt, cincture, collar, girdle; wreath; annulet, becket, coil, curl, furl, hank, spiral, spire, twirl, whorl

Near Antonyms

disregard, neglect, obliviousness, unawareness

Other Anatomy Terms

bilateral symmetry, carotid, cartilage, dorsal, entrails, prehensile, renal, solar plexus, supine, thoracic, ventral

²eye

verb

eyedeye·ing or ey·ing

Definition of EYE

transitive verb

1

a (1) : to fix the eyes on : look at <they eyed him suspiciously> (2) : contemplate, consider <eyeing the choices>

b : to watch or study closely <eyeing changes in the stock market>

2

: to furnish with an eye

intransitive verb

obsolete : seem, look

— ey·er \ˈī(-ə)r\ noun

Examples of EYE

1. I saw someone eyeing me from across the street.
2. <a lot of his backyard bird watching was spent eyeing the squirrels as they depleted the bird feeder of seeds>

First Known Use of EYE

15th century

Related to EYE

Synonyms

watch, follow, observe

Related Words

behold, look, perceive, regard, see, view; gape, gawk, gaze, glare, goggle, look on, peer, rubberneck, stare; guard, wake, ward; bird-dog, monitor, study; spy; espy, glance, glimpse, peek, peep

Near Antonyms

blink, wink

eye

noun \ˈī\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of EYE

1

: an organ of sight; especially : a nearly spherical hollow organ that is lined with a sensitive retina, is lodged in a bony orbit in the skull, is the vertebrate organ of sight, and is normally paired

2

: all the visible structures within and surrounding the orbit and including eyelids, eyelashes, and eyebrows

3

: the faculty of seeing with eyes

—eye·less \ˈī-ləs\ adjective

—eye·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective

Illustration of EYE

eye

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Organ that receives light and visual images. Non-image forming, or direction, eyes are found among worms, mollusks, cnidarians, echinoderms, and other invertebrates; image-forming eyes are found in certain mollusks, most arthropods, and nearly all vertebrates. Arthropods are unique in possessing a compound eye, which results in their seeing a multiple image that is partially integrated in the brain. Lower vertebrates such as fish have eyes on either side of the head, allowing a maximum view of the surroundings but producing two separate fields of vision. In predatory birds and mammals, binocular vision became more important. Evolutionary changes in the placement of the eyes permitted a larger overlap of the two visual fields, resulting in the higher mammals in a parallel line of direct sight. The human eye is roughly spherical.