1. [n]  a small hole or loop (as in a needle); "the thread wouldn't go through the eye"
2. [n]  the organ of sight (`peeper' is an informal term for `eye')
3. [n]  good discernment (either with the eyes or as if with the eyes); "she has an eye for fresh talent"; "he has an artist's eye"
4. [n]  attention to what is seen; "he tried to catch her eye"
5. [n]  an area that is approximately central within some larger region; "it is in the center of town"; "they ran forward into the heart of the struggle"; "they were in the eye of the storm"
6. [v]  look at

1. \Eye\, n. [Prob. fr. nye, an eye being for a nye. See
   {Nye}.] (Zo["o]l.)
   A brood; as, an eye of pheasants.
   

2. \Eye\, n. [OE. eghe, eighe, eie, eye, AS. e['a]ge; akin to
   OFries. [=a]ge, OS. ?ga, D. oog, Ohg. ouga, G. auge, Icel.
   auga, Sw. ["o]ga, Dan. ["o]ie, Goth. aug?; cf. OSlav. oko,
   Lish. akis, L. okulus, Gr. ?, eye, ?, 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 years 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.
   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.
   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 sailor; an eye for the
      beautiful or picturesque.
   3. The action of the organ of sight; sight, look; view;
      ocular knowledge; judgment; opinion.
            In my eye, she is the sweetest lady that I looked
            on.                                   --Shak.
   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.
            We shell express our duty in his eye. --Shak.
            Her shell your hear disproved to her eyes. --Shak.
   5. Observation; oversight; watch; inspection; notice;
      attention; regard. ``Keep eyes upon her.'' --Shak.
            Booksellers . . . have an eye to their own
            advantage.                            --Addison.
   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;
          as an eye through a crank; an eye at the end of rope.
      (h) The hole through the upper millstone.
   7. That which resembles the eye in relative importance or
      beauty. ``The very eye of that proverb.'' --Shak.
            Athens, the eye of Greece, mother of arts. --Milton.
   8. Tinge; shade of color. [Obs.]
            Red with an eye of blue makes a purple. --Boyle.
   {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 part 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 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 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.
   

3. \Eye\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Eyed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Eying or
   Eyeing}.]
   To fix the eye on; to look on; to view; to observe;
   particularly, to observe or watch narrowly, or with fixed
   attention; to hold in view.
         Eye me, blest Providence, and square my trial To my
         proportioned strength.                   --Milton.
   

4. \Eye\, v. i.
   To appear; to look. [Obs.]
         My becomings kill me, when they do not Eye well to you.
                                                  --Shak.
   

(Heb. 'ain, meaning "flowing"), applied (1) to a fountain, frequently; (2) to colour (Num. 11:7; R.V., "appearance," marg. "eye"); (3) the face (Ex. 10:5, 15; Num. 22:5, 11), in Num. 14:14, "face to face" (R.V. marg., "eye to eye"). "Between the eyes", i.e., the forehead (Ex. 13:9, 16).

The expression (Prov. 23:31), "when it giveth his colour in the cup," is literally, "when it giveth out [or showeth] its eye." The beads or bubbles of wine are thus spoken of. "To set the eyes" on any one is to view him with favour (Gen. 44:21; Job 24:23; Jer. 39:12). This word is used figuratively in the expressions an "evil eye" (Matt. 20:15), a "bountiful eye" (Prov. 22:9), "haughty eyes" (6:17 marg.), "wanton eyes" (Isa. 3:16), "eyes full of adultery" (2 Pet. 2:14), "the lust of the eyes" (1 John 2:16). Christians are warned against "eye-service" (Eph. 6:6; Col. 3:22). Men were sometimes punished by having their eyes put out (1 Sam. 11:2; Samson, Judg. 16:21; Zedekiah, 2 Kings 25:7).

The custom of painting the eyes is alluded to in 2 Kings 9:30, R.V.; Jer. 4:30; Ezek. 23:40, a custom which still prevails extensively among Eastern women.