Handy Idioms About Eyes/Ears!

Idioms have rightly been called the salt and spice of a particular language. They are mostly the influence of culture on language and come in quite handy when you want to paint pictures with words! Read some of the idioms about Eyes/Ears below:

1. All ears

-very eager to hear, very attentive

My sister was all ears last night when I began to talk about starting a home business.
all eyes

- watching very closely, wide-eyed with surprise

He is all eyes when he goes to a basketball game.

2. Apple of one's eye

- a cherished person or object

The young girl is the apple of her father's eye.

3. Bat an eye/eyelash

- show surprise, fear or interest; show one's feelings (neg.)

Our boss didn't bat an eyelash when we told him that we were going to go home early today.

4. Believe one's ears

- believe what one hears; become sure of (something)

I couldn't believe my ears when I heard that I had won a holiday in Mexico.

5. Catch one's eye

- attract one's attention

I tried to catch my friend's eye at the movie theater but he didn't notice me.

6. Cut off one's nose to spite one's face

- make things worse for oneself because one is angry - usually at someone else

When he decided not to go to the party he was cutting off his nose to spite his face. He was the one who lost out on a good opportunity to meet many new people.

7. Ear to the ground

- direct one's attention to the way things are going or to the way people feel and think

I have been keeping my ear to the ground to see what is going to happen with the new owners of this company.

8. Eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth

- Every crime or injury should be punished or paid back

Some politicians are always calling for an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth when they hear of a terrible crime.

9. Eyes are bigger than one's stomach

- One takes more food than one can eat

His eyes were bigger than his stomach when he went to the restaurant and ordered too much food.

10. Eyes in the back of one's head

- ability to know what happens when one's back is turned

The teacher has eyes in the back of her head and always knows what is going on in the classroom.

11. Eyes pop out

- one is very surprised

My eyes popped out when I saw the new computer that I had gotten for my birthday.

12. Flea in one's ear

- an idea or answer that is not welcome

The idea about changing the schedules is a flea in the supervisor's ear that we wish he would forget.

13. Get the eye

- be looked at - for interest and liking or unfriendliness

We got the eye from the manager of the restaurant when we entered in our old clothes.

14. Give someone the eye

- look at someone

I gave the woman in the restaurant the eye but she totally ignored me.

15. Hard-nosed

- not weak or soft, stubborn

The union took a hard-nosed position in the contract negotiations.

16. Have an eye for

- be able to judge correctly, have good taste in

My father has an eye for ceramic plates and has a large collection of them.

17. Have eyes only for

- see or want nothing else, give all one`s attention

He only has eyes for the woman who works in his office.

18. Have one's nose in something

- unwelcome interest in something, impolite curiosity

My boss always has his nose in other peoples' business so he is not very well-liked.

19. Hit between the eyes

- make a strong impression on, surprise greatly

The news about the accident hit us between the eyes and totally shocked us.

20. In one's mind's eye

- in one's imagination

I tried to relax and in my mind's eye pretend that I was on a beautiful island.

21. Keep an eye on

- watch carefully, continue paying attention to

I asked my aunt to keep an eye on our apartment when we went away for our holiday.

22. Keep one's nose clean

- stay out of trouble

The judge told the young man that he must keep his nose clean if he didn't want to go to jail in the future.

24. Keep one's nose out of something

- keep out of or away from

I wish that the secretary at our office would keep her nose out of other people's business.

25. Keep one's nose to the grindstone

- work hard or keep busy for a long time

He has been keeping his nose to the grindstone all year so that he can save up enough money for a new car.

26. Lay/set eyes on

- see

I have not set eyes on his new car yet even though he bought it last month.

27. Lead by the nose

- make or persuade someone to do anything you want

My sister has been leading her husband by the nose since they got married.

28. Lend/ give an ear to

- listen to

I try to lend an ear to all of my friends when they have a personal problem that they want to talk about.

29. Look down one's nose at

- think of as worthless, feel scorn for

She looks down her nose at people who she thinks are not as smart as she is.

30. Make eyes at

- try to attract someone, flirt

The woman in the restaurant is always making eyes at the customers who she likes.