10 English Idioms & Expressions with “EYE”

Do dodo do do do do.

The eyes have it.

Hmm?

Hi, James from www.engvid.com . Today, I'm going to teach you some idioms about eyes.

Well, not your eyes, but how we can use the word eyes in idioms to convey certain meanings

which means to give a certain meaning.

First of all, what's an idiom?

An idiom is a few words or a bunch of words that put together that may not have an obvious

meaning or a clear meaning, but once you know what they are, it actually gives you a greater

meaning to it.

So, example is - in English, we like to say it's raining cats and dogs, which doesn't

make any sense whatsoever.

Cats and dogs do not fall from the sky.

But, when you understand, it means it's a lot of rain, you're like okay, it's raining

cats and dogs, got it.

And it's because we use this shorthand for language that's full of meaning or rich with

meaning to get across a greater meaning.

Anyway, we're going to go to the board but before we do, I just wanted you to check out

my new Star Trek look, right?

Captain Kirk, we're going back to the Enterprise! 21st century.

Or the 24th century then the 21st century.

Let's go to the board.

So, Mr. E says "The eyes have it", but on my board, you're going to notice there's nothing

to do with eyes, so I'm going to read this little story to you, it's between, you know,

a little story between Mr. E and myself, and then later on, I'm going to teach you the

appropriate idioms that have the word "eye" inside of it that you can use to substitute

for the blue sections, okay?

So, I'm going to explain, you know, we'll go through the story, then we'll do the idioms,

okay, then we'll come back here and we'll make the corrections and put in the new idioms

that you've learned.

Sound like fun?

Well, let's go to the board.

So, starting off myself: The bright color of the shirt got my attention, so I bought

it.

Mr. E says: Well, you've always had good taste in clothing.

I go: No, not really.

The blue shirt I bought was so ugly it hurts to look at it.

And he says: Do you think so?

I thought I saw Keiko show a bit of romantic interest when you wore the blue shirt.

He says: Really?

I will have to watch very carefully the next time I wear this shirt and see Keiko.

Dum dum dum dum, the plot thickens, okay.

Mr E: I wouldn't try to deceive you.

James: She is very interesting.

There is a lot more to that woman which is not obvious.

Ah, an interesting story.

It's gone from clothing to romance, and I'm about to go into idioms and just destroy all

that, but anyway.

You ready?

Let's go to the board and look at what idioms I can use to replace the statements you've

just seen.

You ready?

Let's go.

So, time for me to actually explain all these idioms we're looking at and show you, you

know, some idioms we can use to replace the words we had up there.

But before I do that, I want to give a shout out, as I keep an eye out for Ronnie!

Okay Ronnie, it's your turn.

You've got to say shout out to me in the future.

Anyway, see you soon, Ron.

Okay, so anyway, let's go to the board, and on the board, I have seven idioms that will

replace the seven sentences we highlighted in blue on the board earlier on.

So, the first one I want to talk about is caught someone's eye, or to catch someone's

eye.

I think I was - when you catch somebody's eye, when catch something, alright, you catch

it.

You focus and you can catch - I think when you focus, you can catch it.

When you catch it, it's yours, sort of thing.

So, when something catches your eye, it literally takes your attention and catches it, alright?

So, to attract someone's attention.

You caught my eye, you catch my eyes, so I watch, you know, I watch whatever it is you

have.

Second: to haven an eye for something.

To have an eye - a single eye.

When you have an eye for something, it means you have a very good ability to tell what

is good quality or bad quality or what is good and what is bad.

I have the best eye - I have the best eye - I can, I have the best quality - Sorry,

I'm imitating someone else, Trump.

So, when you have a good eye for something, you can say "I have an eye for diamonds.",

so I know what a good diamond is, or I have a good eye for quality workers, I know what

a good worker is.

So, when someone has an eye for something, they can see quality.

Eyesore.

Well, if you go to the gym and you work out a lot, the next day you're going to go "Oh,

my body hurts!"

Not that it hurts, you say it's sore.

It's not in pain from like, you've injured yourself and you have to go to a doctor, it's

more that from overwork, it's sore.

Usually, the gym is a good place to get sore because you go "I did my workouts, I feel

good".

Eyesore, remember, it hurts, your eyes shouldn't really ever be sore, so if your eyes are sore

it's because something is hurting them.

Usually a person or a thing that is extremely ugly.

Notice I said a person, because yes, you can be that unattractive.

I personally think everybody's good looking in their own way, but some people, the way

they dress or act, they can become an eyesore, you know what I'm saying?

You know what I'm saying.

Okay.

But we usually use it for things, like a house can be an eyesore, bright clothing can be

an eyesore, right?

Your stylish hairdo from the 80's - an eyesore.

Keep an eye on something.

Well right now, I'm keeping an eye on you.

I'm just looking at you, yes, that's right, I look at you, just you, nobody else but you.

I keep this eye on you.

It means watch carefully, because it means I can go around the room and look around and

do other things but this eye, this eye just stays on you, okay?

Keep an eye - watch very carefully.

Now, the - pull the wool over someone's eyes.

Oh, thankfully I have a wool sweater.

I'm blind!

I cannot see!

When you pull the wool over someone's eyes, you deceive them.

It means you trick them.

You do not let them see the truth.

So, when they pull the wool over your eyes, you do not know what is going on.

Okay?

Oh, I've missed one, I'm sorry.

Some of you who have kept an eye on what I was doing probably noticed, how come he went

from three to five?

You're very smart.

Let's go to number four.

To give someone the eye, you know when you see someone go like - that's giving you the

eye.

It's to show romantic interest.

They like you.

They give you the eye.

Now, I'll go over to number seven.

Transformers, more than meets the eye.

Remember, they're cars.

They're Autobots and the Decepticons hiding in plain sight.

There is more than meets the eye.

They can change from one thing to another, but you don't know yet.

And that's why we put yet here.

So, when something is more than meets the eye, it's like if you wait long enough, you'll

see there's much more to learn or to understand if you pay attention.

Cool?

Well, now we've done these seven idioms and we've done this wonderful story.

How are we going to put them together?

I think we should go to the board and find out!

Okay, so, we've learned what the idioms are and now we're going to back to the original

- original story and we're going to put the idioms we've just worked on into the story.

You ready?

Let's go to the board.

So, originally we had, you know, we'll read the story again and then we'll see how we

can change it up.

So, "The bright color of the shirt got my attention, so I bought it.

""Well, you've always had good taste in clothing", said Mr. E. James replied, "Not really, the

blue shirt I bought was so ugly that it hurts to look at it."

Mr. E. said, "So," - sorry - "Do you think so?

I though I saw Keiko show a little bit of romantic interest when you wore the blue shirt."

James said "Really?

I will have to watch very carefully the next time I wear the shirt and see Keiko."

And then he said "No, well I wouldn't try to deceive you."

And finally, "She is very interesting.

There is more - there is a lot more to that woman that is not obvious."

So, let's - let me entertain you.

Let's see how we can make the changes and use the first one.

So, in the first one we've got "got my attention".

What do we say instead of "Something got my attention"?

I'm going to erase it because clearly we're going to change this one.

Okay, so as I'm erasing and you're thinking, what do you think it is?

Boom, like baseball, that's right.

"Caught my eye", right?

The bright color of the shirt caught my eye, so I bought it.

Good, that's the first one.

One second, there we go.

What about the next sentence?

"Well you've always had good taste in clothing."

Always had good taste in clothing, what are we going to say?

Okay, now imagine if you have a bad arm and you have a - that's right, I go here and we're

going to say your good taste - and this changes to "an eye", alright, and "an eye for" - and

now remember, an eye for clothing in this case means good taste, or you can tell the

difference between good and bad.

So, an eye for something means you know the difference between high quality and low quality

or good and bad.

Alright.

What about here?

"Not really, the blue shirt was so ugly it hurts to look at it."

Okay, you've got it.

You got it.

Oh yes, let me get rid of all of this.

And I'm going to ask you a question before I write it down.

When you work out, if you work out and go to the gym a lot, you know, you're like ugh,

really work, the next day it hurts and you go "My back is", what?

Sore!

Because it hurts.

So, we say "eyesore".

Remember, eyesore means - sore means to hurt - an eyesore means something so ugly it hurts

to look at it.

An eyesore, right?

Sorry - an eyesore.

Let's put that there.

It was an eyesore.

Almost forgot.

"Do you think so?

I thought I saw Keiko show a bit of romantic interest..."

Hm hm hm hm hm.

What would we say?

Mmhmm, once again, I'll give you the opportunity to think about it carefully, and what one,

what idiom did we use to say showing romantic interest?

Remember, giving the eye, when you give someone the eye, so Keiko was like "Ahh!", you know.

Or my favorite, when someone's bashful, bashful means like, shy, and they're like -

giving you the eye.

Keiko was giving you the eye when she saw you with that blue shirt.

And James says "Really?

I will have to watch very carefully the next time", okay?

What's that one going to be?

Do do dodo do do dodo do do dododo.

Musical interlude.

It means I'm making music for you while we wait.

So, in this case, I'm going to write -

so a long sentence here, it happens.

Okay, so "Really?

I will have to keep an eye on what happens the next time I wear this shirt and see Keiko."

Remember?

I will have to, you know, watch them, watch very carefully.

Finally, "I wouldn't try to deceive you."

What is "I wouldn't try to deceive you"?

Okay, so again I will erase the board and you will figure out what it is.

But I will give you a hint: baaah, baaah!

Okay, I wouldn't try to pull the wool over your eyes, remember?

We talked about tricking you.

You could think like a wolf in sheep's clothing, huh?

And now I mean finally, I jumped the gun there.

Finally, "She is very interesting.

There is a lot more to that woman which is not obvious."

That sentence sounds kind of crazy, because it is.

I probably wouldn't say that, but we would say, and I will once again give you the opportunity

to try to figure it out before I get there, because you know, you're smart.

I know you can do it.

You can do it!

And what is that sentence we're going to write here?

Yeah.

Wow, check that out.

There is more to - well, there is more to here.

Yes, there is more to here, but what I meant to write is "There is more to her", her is

Keiko, "than meets the eye."

Alright so, there is more to hear because we're going to look at how we changed it and

what it means here.

So, "The bright color of the shirt caught my eye, so I bought it."

Mr. E. says, "Well, you've always had a good eye for clothing.", right?

James says, "Not really, the blue shirt I bought was an eyesore."

E says "Do you think so?

I thought I saw Keiko giving you the eye when you wore the blue shirt."

"Really?" said James, "I will have to keep an eye on what happens the next time I wear

the shirt and see Keiko."

Mr. E, "Hey, I wouldn't try to pull the wool over your eyes."

And finally, "She is very interesting.

There is more to her than meets the eye.", this Ms. Keiko.

Anyway, I hope you like how we transitioned.

You notice we used "eye" many times, but it doesn't sound like we're saying "eye" too

much, because these - these idiomatic phrases that are so natural that fall from our lips

when we speak, that it sounds natural and you don't feel like you're repeating yourself

too much.

But as always, I want to give you a bonus before we do our homework, because that's

the way I roll here.

Bonus: Keep one's eyes peeled.

Some of you are going to say, "What is peeled?"

Well, when you have a banana, what you do is this, you take the skin off like that.

That's called peeling.

Or, if you have an apple and you take the skin off, it's called peeling.

Now, how you keep your eyes peeled, I don't know.

It's not like I can take my eyes out and take the skin off, but we say it as an idiom, which

is to watch something carefully, or someone.

So, keep your eyes peeled for the cops.

Watch out for the cops, okay?

So, it means "carefully watch somebody or for something".

Similar to this is "keep an eye out for".

Now, there are kind of two ways of saying this.

If you say keep your eye out for nails or something, it means watch out and be careful.

The other reason you say this is usually when you hear it if you're at a restaurant and

you go "Hey, keep your eye out for the waiter when he's coming."

It's not keep your eyes peeled, which is like seriously look.

It means be aware of or look for somebody arriving.

So, keep an eye out for the waiter or the salesperson, but it could also be keep an

eye out for a package for me.

Something is arriving and I want you to pay attention, okay?

And "in the public eye".

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie - it's kind of funny because one day I'm going to say that

and people are going to go "Who are these people?"

Time's going by so, I don't know, Justin Bieber?

That's not a good choice either.

Anyway, these people are in the public eye.

It means they have the attention of the public.

Leaders, presidents, musicians, athletes, when they are well known to the public, we

say they're in the public eye.

In fact, because they're in the public eye, we can take a look at their lives in a way

we wouldn't look at other people's lives, and because you're in the public eye or the

spotlight, we think we have the right to look at you this way.

So, be careful.

You don't want to be in the public eye too much, because your private life becomes public

property, okay.

So, I've given you some bonus.

We've done our little exercise to check.

The final thing I want to do is give you some homework!

In this case, what I want you to do is write a five-sentence paragraph using two of the

idioms, at least, in the paragraph.

I don't want you getting overly repetitive and saying every sentence, okay?

That's not how it flows.

I mean, when we do this, yes, I'm doing it on purpose to get you to think about it or

think in an English way or, you know, with an English mind, so to speak, how we would

understand it, when we would probably use it.

But you wouldn't say "eye, eye, eye, eye" every sentence.

So, there would be more of a natural flow if I said something like "The bright color

of the shirt caught my eye, so I bought it."

And then someone said "Well, you've always had good taste in clothing."

And then said, "Yeah, but the last one I bought was an eyesore."

That would be much more natural, to be honest, but we need the practice, which you know,

and that's why you're doing this.

But in this case, I want you to write five sentences and in two of them, somewhere put

one of these idioms, okay?

And then I want you to repeat it three times, because doing it once is nice, but if you

can do it three times and that would make you use at least six idioms in three different

situations that you're writing, you probably can show that you've learned these very well,

yeah?

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the video.

I've got to get going.

This sweater is a little bit of an eyesore, but I like it.

I like it a lot.

But before I go, I would like to say once - first off, thank you very much for watching

the video.

I always appreciate the audience that's out there, and I would like you to go to www.engvid.com

and that's www.engvid.com , where you can do the quiz that's related to this.

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Anyway, it's always been a pleasure, and I want you to keep an eye out for my next video,

alright?

See you!