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sight for sore eyes

 - 9 dictionary results

eye

[ahy] noun, plural eyes, (Archaic) ey⋅en or eyne; verb, eyed, ey⋅ing or eye⋅ing.
–noun
1. the organ of sight, in vertebrates typically one of a pair of spherical bodies contained in an orbit of the skull and in humans appearing externally as a dense, white, curved membrane, or sclera, surrounding a circular, colored portion, or iris, that is covered by a clear, curved membrane, or cornea, and in the center of which is an opening, or pupil, through which light passes to the retina.
2. the aggregate of structures situated within or near the orbit that assist, support, or protect the eye.
3. this organ with respect to the color of the iris: blue eyes.
4. the region surrounding the eye: a black eye; puffy eyes.
5. sight; vision: a sharp eye.
6. the power of seeing; appreciative or discriminating visual perception: the eye of an artist.
7. a look, glance, or gaze: to cast one's eye at a beautiful necklace.
8. an attentive look, close observation, or watch: to be under the eye of a guard.
9. regard, view, aim, or intention: to have an eye to one's own advantage.
10. a manner or way of looking at a thing; estimation; opinion: in the eyes of the law.
11. a center of light, intelligence, influence, etc.
12. something resembling or suggesting the eye in appearance, shape, etc., as the opening in the lens of a camera, a peephole, or a buttonhole.
13. Botany.
a. the bud of a potato, Jerusalem artichoke, etc.
b. a small, contrastingly colored part at the center of a flower.
14. the central spot of a target; bull's-eye.
15. a choice center cut of meat: an eye of round; the eye of the rib.
16. one of the round spots on the tail feathers of a peacock.
17. the hole in a needle.
18. a hole made in a thing for the insertion of some object, as the handle of a tool: the eye of an ax.
19. a metal or other ring through which something, as a rope or rod, is passed.
20. the loop into which a hook is inserted.
21. Electronics. a photoelectric cell or similar device used to perform a function analogous to visual inspection.
22. Building Trades. a ring on the end of a tension member, as an eye bar or eye bolt, for connection with another member.
23. a hole formed during the maturation of cheese, esp. Emmenthaler or Gruyère.
24. a loop worked at the end of a rope.
25. Meteorology. the approximately circular region of relatively light winds and fair weather found at the center of a severe tropical cyclone.
26. eyes, Nautical. the extreme forward part of the upper deck at the bow of a vessel.
27. Nautical. the precise direction from which a wind is blowing.
–verb (used with object)
28. to fix the eyes upon; view: to eye the wonders of nature.
29. to observe or watch narrowly: She eyed the two strangers with suspicion.
30. to make an eye in: to eye a needle.
–verb (used without object)
31. Obsolete. to appear to the eye.
32. an eye for an eye, repayment in kind, as revenge for an injustice.
33. be all eyes, to give all one's attention to something; look intently.
34. catch someone's eye, to draw or attract someone's attention: to catch the waiter's eye.
35. give (someone) the eye, Informal. to look fixedly at (another person), esp. with obvious admiration; ogle: She ignored the men who were giving her the eye.
36. have an eye for, to have the ability to appreciate distinctions in; be discerning or perceptive about: She has an eye for antique furniture.
37. have eyes only for,
a. to want no other person or thing but: She was always surrounded by admirers, but she had eyes only for Harry.
b. to see, or view, or desire to see only.
Also, only have eyes for.
38. in a pig's eye, Slang. absolutely not; never: In a pig's eye I will!
39. keep an eye on, to watch over attentively: Please keep an eye on my plants while I'm away.
40. keep an eye out for, to be vigilant in looking or watching for: The announcer told his listeners to keep an eye out for the escaped criminal.
41. keep one's eye on the ball, to remain attentive; be especially alert.
42. keep one's eyes open, to be especially alert or observant.
43. lay, clap, or set eyes on, Informal. to catch sight of; see: They had never laid eyes on such a big car before.
44. make eyes at, to gaze flirtatiously or amorously at.
45. my eye! Informal. (a mild exclamation of contradiction or surprise): He says he wasn't told about this? My eye!
46. open one's eyes, to bring someone to a realization of the truth or of something previously unknown: A trip through Asia opened his eyes to the conditions under which millions had to live.
47. pick the eyes out, Australia and New Zealand. to select the best parts or items.
48. run one's eye over, to glance briefly at; examine hastily.
49. see eye to eye, to have exactly the same opinion; agree: They have never been able to see eye to eye on politics.
50. see with half an eye, to see or realize immediately or with ease: Anyone can see with half an eye that the plan is doomed to fail.
51. shut one's eyes to, to refuse to see or consider; disregard: We can no longer shut our eyes to the gravity of the situation.
52. sight for sore eyes, a welcome sight; a pleasant surprise: After our many days in the desert, the wretched village was a sight for sore eyes.
53. with an eye to, with a plan or purpose of: with an eye to one's future.
54. with one's eyes open, aware of the inherent or potential risks: She signed the papers with her eyes open.

Origin:
bef. 900; ME eie, ie, OE ēge, var. of ēage; c. G Auge; akin to L oculus, Gk ps, Skt akṣi


eye⋅a⋅ble, adjective
eyelike, adjective
eyer, noun

sight

[sahyt]
–noun
1. the power or faculty of seeing; perception of objects by use of the eyes; vision.
2. an act, fact, or instance of seeing.
3. one's range of vision on some specific occasion: Land is in sight.
4. a view; glimpse.
5. mental perception or regard; judgment.
6. something seen or worth seeing; spectacle: the sights of London.
7. Informal. something unusual, surprising, shocking, or distressing: They were a sight after the fight.
8. Commerce.
a. presentation of a bill of exchange: a draft payable at two months after sight.
b. a showing of goods, esp. gems, held periodically for wholesalers.
9. Older Use. a multitude; great deal: It's a sight better to work than to starve.
10. an observation taken with a surveying, navigating, or other instrument to ascertain an exact position or direction.
11. any of various mechanical or optical viewing devices, as on a firearm or surveying instrument, for aiding the eye in aiming.
12. Obsolete. skill; insight.
–verb (used with object)
13. to see, glimpse, notice, or observe: to sight a ship to the north.
14. to take a sight or observation of (a stake, coastline, etc.), esp. with surveying or navigating instruments.
15. to direct or aim by a sight or sights, as a firearm.
16. to provide with sights or adjust the sights of, as a gun.
–verb (used without object)
17. to aim or observe through a sight.
18. to look carefully in a certain direction.
19. at first sight, at the first glimpse; at once: It was love at first sight.
20. at sight,
a. immediately upon seeing, esp. without referring elsewhere for assurance, further information, etc.: to translate something at sight.
b. Commerce. on presentation: a draft payable at sight.
21. catch sight of, to get a glimpse of; espy: We caught sight of the lake below.
22. know by sight, to recognize (a person or thing) seen previously: I know him by sight, but I know nothing about him.
23. not by a long sight, Informal. definitely not: Is that all? Not by a long sight.
24. on or upon sight, immediately upon seeing: to shoot him on sight; to recognize someone on sight.
25. out of sight,
a. beyond one's range of vision.
b. Informal. beyond reason; exceedingly high: The price is out of sight.
c. Slang. (often used interjectionally) fantastic; marvelous: a ceremony so glamorous it was out of sight.
26. sight for sore eyes, someone or something whose appearance on the scene is cause for relief or gladness.
27. sight unseen, without previous examination: to buy something sight unseen.

Origin:
bef. 950; ME (n.); OE sihth (more often gesihth, gesiht; c. G Gesicht face; cf. y- ), deriv. of sēon to see 1 ; see -th 1


sight⋅a⋅ble, adjective
sighter, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To sight for sore eyes
sight   (sīt)   
n.  
  1. The ability to see.

  2. The act or fact of seeing: hoping for a sight of land; caught sight of a rare bird.

  3. Field of vision.

  4. The foreseeable future; prospect: no solution in sight.

  5. Mental perception or consideration: We lost sight of the purpose of our visit.

  6. Something seen; a view.

  7. Something worth seeing; a spectacle: the sights of London.

  8. Informal Something unsightly: Your hair is a sight.

    1. A device used to assist aim by guiding the eye, as on a firearm or surveying instrument.

    2. An aim or observation taken with such a device.

  9. An opportunity to observe or inspect.

  10. Upper Southern U.S. A large number or quantity: A sight of people were there.

v.   sight·ed, sight·ing, sights

v.   tr.
  1. To perceive with the eyes; get sight of: sighted land after 40 days at sea.

  2. To observe through a sight or an optical instrument: sight a target.

  3. To adjust the sights of (a rifle, for example).

  4. To take aim with (a firearm).

v.   intr.
  1. To direct one's gaze; look carefully.

  2. To take aim: sighted along the barrel of the gun.


[Middle English, from Old English sihth, gesiht, something seen; see sekw-2 in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: sight
Function: adjective
: payable on presentation —see also sight draft at DRAFT
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: eye
Pronunciation: 'I
Function: noun
1 : an organ of sight; especially : a nearly spherical hollow organ that is linedwith a sensitive retina, is lodged in a bony orbit in the skull, is the vertebrate organ of sight, and is normally paired
2 : all the visible structures within and surrounding theorbit and including eyelids, eyelashes, and eyebrows
3 : the faculty of seeing with eyes —eye·less /'I-l&s/ adjectiveeye·like /-"lIk/ adjective

Main Entry: sight
Pronunciation: 'sIt
Function: noun
1 : something that is seen
2 : the process, power, or function of seeing;specifically : the one of the five basic physical senses by which light stimuli received by the eye are interpreted by the brain in the construction of a representation of the position,shape, brightness, and usually color of objects in the real world
3 a : a perception of an object by the eye b : the range of vision
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

eye (ī)
n.

  1. An organ of vision or of light sensitivity.

  2. Either of a pair of hollow structures located in bony sockets of the skull, functioning together or independently, each having a lens capable of focusing incident light on an internal photosensitive retina from which nerve impulses are sent to the brain; the organ of vision.

  3. The external, visible portion of this organ together with its associated structures, especially the eyelids, eyelashes, and eyebrows.

  4. The pigmented iris of this organ.

  5. The faculty of seeing; vision.

sight (sīt)
n.

  1. The ability to see.

  2. Field of vision.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Science Dictionary
eye   (ī)  Pronunciation Key 


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  1. Anatomy The vertebrate organ of sight, composed of a pair of fluid-filled spherical structures that occupy the orbits of the skull. Incoming light is refracted by the cornea of the eye and transmitted through the pupil to the lens, which focuses the image onto the retina.

  2. Zoology An organ in invertebrates that is sensitive to light. See more at compound eye, eyespot.

  3. Botany A bud on a tuber, such as a potato.

  4. Meteorology The relatively calm area at the center of a hurricane or similar storm. See more at hurricane.


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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