sight for sore eyes
9
4.2
- idiom
- Informal
:
un alivio para los ojos
- After a long trip away, my friend was a sight for sore eyes when I finally returned home.
- you sure are a sight for sore eyes
Examples
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My, you're a sight for sore eyes.
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You sure are a sight for sore eyes.
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- You guys are a sight for sore eyes.
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Good to see you, man, you're a sight for sore eyes.
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Well, aren't you two a sight for sore eyes!
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You're a sight for sore eyes.
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Well, you're a sight for sore eyes.
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We had not seen the kids and grandkids for 14 months, so they were sights for sore eyes.
Blog text (5) -
Emily, aren't you a sight for sore eyes?
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And while the guesthouses along the way are nothing if not rustic, each is a sight for sore eyes.
Blog text (7)
Synonyms
7
6.2
Something very beautiful or impressive to see
1
3.5
A very beautiful view that makes you feel amazed
1
3.4
Something or someone that brings hope during a difficult time
Antonyms
How Welcome
28
4.9
- Informal
9
4.2
Surface Forms
Morphology
Although the words 'sight', 'for', 'sore', and 'eyes' are individually transparent, the overall meaning 'a person or thing very welcome to see' depends on an idiomatic metaphor (visual relief for aching eyes) that is not directly predictable from the parts. This figurative use is language-specific and would likely not be inferred reliably by a B1 learner who has not previously encountered the expression.
Etymology
Sight for sore eyes comes from the simple picture of hurting or very tired eyes seeing something pleasant; the sight gives relief to the sore eyes. That's why it now means 'something very welcome to see'.