ENGLISH
REFERENCE

apple of someone's eye

idiom
Meaning

The object of somebody's affections; a person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers; a favorite, a loved one.


Origin

disputed origin

PIE word *h₂ébōl From Middle English appel of the eie (“pupil of the eye; cornea; (figurative) something highly valued”), from Old English æppel on the ēagan, used in biblical texts (Deuteronomy 32:10, Psalm 17:8; Proverbs 7:2, Lamentations 2:18, and Zechariah 2:8; compare the quotations) to designate the pupil of the eye as something precious to be protected. The use of "apple" in English is apparently due to the pupil or cornea being thought of as a solid, globular object.

Examples
SIMPLE

Her grandson is the apple of her eye.

CONTEXTUAL

The old dog was the apple of his eye, and he took her everywhere.

COMPLEX

Though he had three children, his youngest daughter had always been the apple of his eye, the one he spoke of with unmistakable pride.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth

    compensation for injury caused by a person, in the form of inflicting of an identical injury on that person.

  2. 02

    another nail in someone's coffin

    An event that increases the likelihood of or causes further failure.

  3. 03

    answer someone's prayers

    To be or do exactly what someone has been wishing or asking for.

  4. 04

    answer to someone's prayers

    Exactly what someone has been wishing or asking for.

  5. 05

    apple polisher

    A sycophant; a toady.

  6. 06

    bad apple

    A person who is not wholesome, honest, or trustworthy, especially one who has an adverse influence on others.

  7. 07

    bane of someone's existence

    Someone or something that poses a significant problem to someone.

  8. 08

    bash someone's face in

    To beat someone violently.

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