ENGLISH
REFERENCE

my eye

idiom
Meaning

Expression of disapproval, disregard, disdain, disgust, or disbelief.


Origin

disputed origin

Apparently a shortening of all my eye. Compare French mon œil.

Examples
SIMPLE

You are sorry? My eye, you are just trying to trick me.

CONTEXTUAL

He claims he did not break the vase, but my eye, I saw him drop it.

COMPLEX

They promised that the new policy would benefit everyone, but that is all my eye, as it clearly favors only the wealthy.

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

    apple of someone's eye

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

  3. 03

    blink of an eye

    A moment (a very short period of time).

  4. 04

    camel through the eye of a needle

    Hyperbole to illustrate something that is impossible to do or to make happen.

  5. 05

    catch someone's eye

    To capture someone's attention.

  6. 06

    catch the eye

    To attract the attention

  7. 07

    close one eye

    to look the other way, to deliberately ignore or overlook (a mistake or transgression).

  8. 08

    dry eye

    An eye which is not crying, i.e. someone emotionally unmoved.

Last updated April 17, 2026