# poke someone's eye out

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/poke-someones-eye-out
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To damage or harm someone's eye to the point that it can no longer see.

## Examples

- Be careful with those sharp scissors or you might poke someone's eye out.
- The teacher warned the children to stop running with pencils because they could easily poke someone's eye out.
- The safety manual explicitly cautions against using such tools in crowded areas, noting the grave risk that a careless movement could poke someone's eye out.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.