Catch eye

Meaning

The idiom "catch eye" refers to when someone or something is noticed by a person or group of people, often due to their appearance or behavior. It can also be used to describe when something unexpected happens or when one notices something that was previously unnoticed.

Usage

• The bright red dress caught my eye immediately as she walked into the room.
• I couldn't help but catch eye with my neighbor while we were both waiting in line at the grocery store.
• When I turned around, I saw that my friend had caught eye of a potential love interest.
• The sudden loud noise caught me off guard and made me jump out of my seat.
• I caught eye of an interesting article on the front page of the newspaper while scrolling through my phone.

Roots and History

The idiom "catch eye" dates back to the 13th century in English literature, where it was used to describe the act of catching someone's gaze or attention. Over time, the idiom has evolved to refer more broadly to any situation or object that is noticed or observed. There are no significant regional or cultural variations associated with this idiom.

Synonyms in English

• Noticeable
• Attention-grabbing
• Noteworthy
• Eye-catching
• Striking

Synonyms in other languages

• 粘心的 (Japanese) - means sticky or attention-grabbing
• 吸引性的 (Spanish) - means attractive or attention-grabbing
• 耶抓耣係 (Mandarin Chinese) - means to catch someone's eye or attention
• צולת (Hebrew) - means colorful or noticeable
• הניספה (Hebrew) - means striking or noteworthy

Similar Idioms

• cry over spilt milk

• smitten with

• jump on the bandwagon