weather eye
1
7.5
- noun
:
ojo avizor
- I kept a good weather eye out for any changes in the storm's path.
- keep a weather eye
Examples
-
But we have also kept a weather eye on other turbulent regions in this issue.
Academic text (2015) -
During our hike, we needed to keep a weather eye on the shifting clouds overhead.
-
As the event approached, he had to keep a weather eye on the forecast for potential rain.
Synonyms
33
5.2
A state of watching and staying ready for danger
29
2.7
Watching carefully for danger or for something expected
2
4.2
Careful attention to danger or problems to keep people safe
Surface Forms
Morphology
The components 'weather' (conditions) and 'eye' (act of watching) give a clear clue that the phrase involves watching or monitoring conditions, so a learner who knows both words can infer a related meaning. However, the combination is metaphorical and used as a fixed idiomatic phrase (often in the set form 'keep a weather eye'), so its exact pragmatic sense of vigilant alertness for danger is not fully predictable without exposure.
Etymology
Weather eye comes from sailors who kept an eye on the weather to spot sudden changes or danger at sea. So, saying someone has a weather eye means they are 'watchful' for trouble.