from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Eye \Eye\ ([imac]), n. [OE. eghe, eighe, eie, eye, AS. e['a]ge;
akin to OFries. [=a]ge, OS. [=o]ga, D. oog, Ohg. ouga, G.
auge, Icel. auga, Sw. ["o]ga, Dan. ["o]ie, Goth. aug[=o]; cf.
OSlav. oko, Lith. akis, L. okulus, Gr. 'o`kkos, eye, 'o`sse,
the two eyes, Skr. akshi. [root]10, 212. Cf. {Diasy},
{Ocular}, {Optic}, {Eyelet}, {Ogle}.]
1. The organ of sight or vision. In man, and the vertebrates
generally, it is properly the movable ball or globe in the
orbit, but the term often includes the adjacent parts. In
most invertebrates the eyes are immovable ocelli, or
compound eyes made up of numerous ocelli. See {Ocellus}.
Description of illustration: a b Conjunctiva; c Cornea; d
Sclerotic; e Choroid; f Cillary Muscle; g Cillary Process;
h Iris; i Suspensory Ligament; k Prosterior Aqueous
Chamber between h and i; l Anterior Aqueous Chamber; m
Crystalline Lens; n Vitreous Humor; o Retina; p Yellow
spot; q Center of blind spot; r Artery of Retina in center
of the Optic Nerve.
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Note: The essential parts of the eye are inclosed in a tough
outer coat, the sclerotic, to which the muscles moving
it are attached, and which in front changes into the
transparent cornea. A little way back of cornea, the
crystalline lens is suspended, dividing the eye into
two unequal cavities, a smaller one in front filled
with a watery fluid, the aqueous humor, and larger one
behind filled with a clear jelly, the vitreous humor.
The sclerotic is lined with a highly pigmented
membrane, the choroid, and this is turn is lined in the
back half of the eyeball with the nearly transparent
retina, in which the fibers of the optic nerve ramify.
The choroid in front is continuous with the iris, which
has a contractile opening in the center, the pupil,
admitting light to the lens which brings the rays to a
focus and forms an image upon the retina, where the
light, falling upon delicate structures called rods and
cones, causes them to stimulate the fibres of the optic
nerve to transmit visual impressions to the brain.
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2. The faculty of seeing; power or range of vision; hence,
judgment or taste in the use of the eye, and in judging of
objects; as, to have the eye of a sailor; an eye for the
beautiful or picturesque.
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3. The action of the organ of sight; sight, look; view;
ocular knowledge; judgment; opinion.
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In my eye, she is the sweetest lady that I looked
on. --Shak.
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4. The space commanded by the organ of sight; scope of
vision; hence, face; front; the presence of an object
which is directly opposed or confronted; immediate
presence.
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We shell express our duty in his eye. --Shak.
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Her shell your hear disproved to her eyes. --Shak.
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5. Observation; oversight; watch; inspection; notice;
attention; regard. "Keep eyes upon her." --Shak.
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Booksellers . . . have an eye to their own
advantage. --Addison.
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6. That which resembles the organ of sight, in form,
position, or appearance; as:
(a) (Zo["o]l.) The spots on a feather, as of peacock.
(b) The scar to which the adductor muscle is attached in
oysters and other bivalve shells; also, the adductor
muscle itself, esp. when used as food, as in the
scallop.
(c) The bud or sprout of a plant or tuber; as, the eye of
a potato.
(d) The center of a target; the bull's-eye.
(e) A small loop to receive a hook; as, hooks and eyes on
a dress.
(f) The hole through the head of a needle.
(g) A loop forming part of anything, or a hole through
anything, to receive a rope, hook, pin, shaft, etc.;
as, an eye at the end of a tie bar in a bridge truss;
an eye through a crank; an eye at the end of rope.
(h) The hole through the upper millstone.
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7. That which resembles the eye in relative importance or
beauty. "The very eye of that proverb." --Shak.
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Athens, the eye of Greece, mother of arts. --Milton.
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8. Tinge; shade of color. [Obs.]
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Red with an eye of blue makes a purple. --Boyle.
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{By the eye}, in abundance. [Obs.] --Marlowe.
{Elliott eye} (Naut.), a loop in a hemp cable made around a
thimble and served.
{Eye agate}, a kind of circle agate, the central parts of
which are of deeper tints than the rest of the mass.
--Brande & C.
{Eye animalcule} (Zo["o]l.), a flagellate infusorian
belonging to {Euglena} and related genera; -- so called
because it has a colored spot like an eye at one end.
{Eye doctor}, an opthalmologist or optometrist; -- formerly
called an oculist.
{Eye of a volute} (Arch.), the circle in the center of
volute.
{Eye of day}, {Eye of the morning}, {Eye of heaven}, the sun.
"So gently shuts the eye of day." --Mrs. Barbauld.
{Eye of a ship}, the foremost part in the bows of a ship,
where, formerly, eyes were painted; also, the hawser
holes. --Ham. Nav. Encyc.
{Half an eye}, very imperfect sight; a careless glance; as,
to see a thing with half an eye; often figuratively.
"Those who have but half an eye." --B. Jonson.
{To catch one's eye}, to attract one's notice.
{To find favor in the eyes (of)}, to be graciously received
and treated.
{To have an eye to}, to pay particular attention to; to
watch. "Have an eye to Cinna." --Shak.
{To keep an eye on}, to watch.
{To set the eyes on}, to see; to have a sight of.
{In the eye of the wind} (Naut.), in a direction opposed to
the wind; as, a ship sails in the eye of the wind.
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