to open someone's eyes
3
3.7
- idiom
- Informal
:
abrir los ojos a alguien
- I hope this article will open people's eyes to the bigger and badder belly of the beast.
- really opened his eyes
- opened his eyes to the possibilities
- wants to open people's eyes
Examples
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Remember how my trip to New York sort of opened my eyes to the ways of the world?
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Finally, I embrace the opportunity to open people's eyes—both Haudenosaunee and non-Haudenosaunee—about who we are and our collective and shared past.
Academic text (2009) -
What needs to be done for people to open their eyes?
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However, what I hope I have done is provide enough of an outline to open a reader's eyes a bit more.
Blog text (5) -
You really need to open your eyes, Mack, before you miss it all.
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The election has opened Mr. Paul's eyes; he knows it's over.
Blog text (2) -
For the price of a stamp and the expenditure of a little time, we have developed a program that has opened our students' eyes to reading as an enjoyable activity.
Academic text (1997) -
My feeling is that the FSF is the kind of organization we need to open people's eyes in our high-tech society.
Blog text (32) -
I hope the Ayn Rand books will open people's eyes to the possibilities ahead for our society.
Blog text (32) -
The documentary opened my eyes to the environmental issues facing our planet.
Synonyms
55
4.8
To give someone clear information to help them understand something
35
3.7
To make someone become aware of something for the first time
To help someone understand more about a subject or the world
How Aware
55
4.8
- Informal
3
3.7
∞
1.0
∞
1.0
136
2.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase uses the literal senses of 'open' and 'eyes' to convey a metaphorical effect — causing someone to 'see' or become aware — so the connection is partly transparent. However the shift from physical opening to cognitive awareness is a conventionalized metaphor that may not be fully predictable to a B1 learner without some exposure, even though many languages use a similar metaphor.
Etymology
The phrase open someone's eyes paints a simple picture: if you open someone's eyes, they can see something they did not notice before. So, it means 'to make someone realize' or 'to help them see the truth'.