eye

1 syllable

Quick answer

As a noun, eye means an organ through which animals see ("perceive surroundings via light"). As a verb, it means carefully or appraisingly observe (someone or something).

Meanings of eye

31 meanings

noun

An organ through which animals see ("perceive surroundings via light").
“Bright lights really hurt my eyes.”
The visual sense.
“The car was quite pleasing to the eye, but impractical.”
The iris of the eye, being of a specified colour.
“Brown, blue, green, hazel eyes.”
“Natalie’s brown eyes looked into Jim’s blue eyes, and the girl and boy flirted.”
Attention, notice.
“That dress caught her eye.”
The ability to notice what others might miss.
“He has an eye for talent.”
A meaningful look or stare.
“She was giving him the eye at the bar.”
“When the car cut her off, she gave him the eye.”
Short for private eye ("a privately hire detective or investigator").
A hole at the blunt end of a needle through which thread is passed.
The oval hole of an axehead through which the axehandle is fitted.
A fitting consisting of a loop of metal or other material, suitable for receiving a hook or the passage of a cord or line.
The relatively calm and clear centre of a hurricane or other cyclonic storm.
A mark on an animal, such as a butterfly or peacock, resembling a human eye.
The dark spot on a black-eyed pea.
A reproductive bud in a potato.

verb

To carefully or appraisingly observe (someone or something).
“After eyeing the document for half an hour, she decided not to sign it.”
“They went out and eyed the new car one last time before deciding.”
To remove the reproductive buds from (potatoes).
To allow (fish eggs) to develop so that the black eye spots are visible.

Older and rare meanings (1)