English Reference
verb · adjective

eyed

v. · adj.
US /ˈaɪd/ UK /ˈaɪd/ eyed

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    v.looked at someone or something very carefully, often because you were suspicious or interested.

    v.observed someone or something with close attention, typically motivated by suspicion, curiosity, or desire.

    Simple

    The security guard eyed the man in the heavy coat suspiciously.

    In context

    The detective eyed the witness throughout the interview, looking for any subtle physical cues that might suggest the statement was rehearsed.

  2. 02 C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    adj.having eyes or markings that look like eyes.

    adj.possessing eyes or eye-like markings; often used in biological descriptions.

    Simple

    The eyed butterfly has large spots on its wings to scare away birds.

    In context

    The specimen was identified as an eyed lizard due to the distinctive ocelli decorating its flanks.

    eyeless
  3. 03 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adj.used with another word to describe what kind of eyes someone has.

    adj.functions as a combining form to describe the appearance, colour, or nature of a person's eyes.

    Simple

    A blue-eyed boy was sitting on the bench reading a book.

    In context

    The sharp-eyed editor caught several small typos that the automated software had completely overlooked.

    Usage

    Always used in a compound with a preceding adjective, such as 'blue-eyed' or 'sharp-eyed'.


From Middle English eyed, eied, iȝed, y-yȝed, equivalent to eye + -ed.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Middle English eyed
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated