# eye

/ˈaɪ/ (US) · /ˈaɪ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/eye
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. organ of sight

noun · CEFR A1

one of the two parts of your face that you use for seeing.

For teachers: the organ of sight in humans and animals, typically located in the head.

- She closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep while the music played.
- The surgeon performed a delicate operation to repair the damaged retina in the patient's left eye.

### 2. attention or notice

noun · CEFR B1

the act of looking at or noticing something.

For teachers: the focus of attention, observation, or scrutiny.

- The bright red car caught his eye as it drove past the house.
- The unusual architectural details of the building immediately caught the eye of the passing tourists.

### 3. ability to judge

noun · CEFR B2

the ability to notice things or judge them well.

For teachers: the faculty of discernment or the ability to notice specific qualities or details.

- The designer has a great eye for colour and detail.
- Having spent decades in the industry, the editor had a keen eye for spotting talent in young, unpublished writers.

### 4. needle hole

noun · CEFR B2

the small hole at the end of a needle for the thread.

For teachers: the small aperture at the blunt end of a sewing needle through which thread is passed.

- It was difficult to pull the thick thread through the eye of the needle.
- The tailor squinted in the dim light, attempting to guide the silk thread through the narrow eye of the needle.

### 5. centre of a storm

noun · CEFR B2

the calm area in the middle of a very strong storm.

For teachers: the relatively calm and clear region at the centre of a tropical cyclone or hurricane.

- The wind stopped blowing when the eye of the hurricane passed over the island.
- Meteorologists monitored the eye of the storm as it moved toward the coast, noting that the pressure was dropping rapidly.

### 6. opinion or view

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

your opinion or how you see a situation.

For teachers: a person's perspective, judgment, or opinion; usually used in the plural.

- In the eyes of the law, everyone should be treated equally.
- The project was a failure in the eyes of the board members, despite its popularity with the general public.

### 7. to look closely

verb · CEFR B2

to look at someone or something very carefully.

For teachers: to observe someone or something closely, often with suspicion, interest, or appraisal.

- The cat was eyeing the bird on the fence, waiting to jump.
- The security guard continued eyeing the suspicious package left near the entrance until the police arrived.

## Examples

- She has beautiful blue eyes.
- Please keep an eye on the stove so the soup doesn't boil over.
- The storm's eye passed directly over the island, bringing a period of strange calm before the winds returned from the opposite direction.

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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.