[eyebrow] See: RAISE EYEBROWS.

[eye-catcher]{n.} Something that strongly attracts the eye. See: CATCHONE’S EYE. •/That new girl in our class is a real eye-catcher./

[eye-catching] See: CATCH ONE’S EYE.

[eye-filling]{adj.}, {literary} Attractive to the eye; beautiful;especially grand; splendid; majestic. •/The mountains in the distance were aneye-filling sight./

[eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth] A blow or injury should be givenback as hard as each one that is received; every crime or injury should bepunished or paid back. •/In ancient times if a man’s eye was put out by hisenemy, he might get revenge by putting his enemy’s eye out. This was the ruleof "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."/ Sometimes used in a shortform. •/Churches today teach that we should forgive people who hurt us, notfollow the rule of "an eye for an eye."/ (From the old command in the Biblemeaning when you pay back a person, you should not hurt him more than he hurtyou.) Compare: DOG EAT DOG, GIVE AS GOOD AS ONE GETS, TIT FOR TAT.

[eye-opener] See: OPEN ONE’S EYES.

[eye out] Careful watch or attention; guard. — Used after "keep", "have"or "with". •/Keep an eye out. We’re close to Joe’s house./ — Usually usedwith "for". •/Mary has her eye out for bargains./ •/They went through thewoods very quietly, with an eye out for Indians./ Compare: LOOK OUT(2), ONGUARD, ON THE ALERT, ON THE WATCH.

[eyes are bigger than one’s stomach]{informal} You want more food thanyou can eat. •/Annie took a second big helping of pudding, but her eyes werebigger than her stomach./ •/"Your eyes are bigger than your stomach,"mother told little Tommy when he piled up food on his plate./

[eye shadow]{n. phr.} A cream used to darken the eyelids in order tomake the eyes more noticeable. •/Jane’s mother told her that girls in theninth grade shouldn’t be using eye shadow./

[eyes in the back of one’s head]{n. phr.}, {informal} Ability toknow what happens when your back is turned. •/Mother must have eyes in theback of her head, because she always knows when I do something wrong./

[eyes open] 1. Careful watch or attention; readiness to see. — Usuallyused with "for". •/Keep your eyes open for a boy in a red cap and sweater./•/The hunter had his eyes open for rabbits./ •/They drove on with theireyes open for a gas station./ Syn.: EYE OUT, KEEP ONE’S EYES PEELED. 2. Fullknowledge; especially of consequences; understanding of what will or mightresult. — Used with "have" or "with". •/Automobile racing is dangerous. Bobwent into it with his eyes open./ •/Betty had her eyes open when she gotmarried./ Contrast: CLOSE ONE’S EYES.

[eyes pop out]{informal} (You) are very much surprised. — Used with apossessive noun or pronoun. •/Mary’s eyes popped out when her mother enteredher classroom./ •/When Joan found a clock radio under the Christmas tree,her eyes popped out./

[eye teeth] See: CUT ONE’S EYE TEETH ON at CUT TEETH(2).

[eye to] 1. Attention to. — Usually used with "have" or "with". •/Havean eye to spelling in these test papers./ 2. Plan for, purpose of. — Usuallyused with "have" or "with". •/Save your money now with an eye to thefuture./ •/John is going to college with an eye to becoming a lawyer./

[face] See: BLUE IN THE FACE, CUT OFF ONE’S NOSE TO SPITE ONE’S FACE, FLYIN THE FACE OF, HATCHET FACE, HIDE ONE’S FACE, IN ONE’S FACE, IN THE FACE OF,LONG FACE, LOOK IN THE EYE or LOOK IN THE FACE, MAKE A FACE, ON THE FACE OF IT,SAVE FACE, SET ONE’S FACE AGAINST, SHOOT OFF ONE’S MOUTH or SHOOT OFF ONE’SFACE, SHOW ONE’S FACE, SLAP IN THE FACE, STARE IN THE FACE, STRAIGHT FACE,THROW IN ONE’S FACE, TO ONE’S FACE.

[face down]{v. phr.} To get the upper hand over someone by behavingforcefully; disconcert someone by the displaying of great self-assurance.•/The night guard faced down the burglar by staring him squarely in theface./ Contrast: FACE UP.

[face lift]{n. phr.} 1. A surgical procedure designed to make one’sface look younger. •/Aunt Jane, who is in her seventies, had an expensiveface lift and now she looks as if she were 40./ 2. A renovation, arefurbishing. •/Our house needs a major face lift to make it fit in with therest of the neighborhood./

[face-saver], [face-saving] See: SAVE FACE.

[face the music]{v. phr.}, {informal} To go through trouble ordanger, especially because of something you did; accept your punishment.•/The boy was caught cheating in an examination and had to face the music./•/The official who had been taking bribes was exposed by a newspaper, and hadto face the music./ •/George knew his mother would cry when he told her,but he decided to go home and face the music./ Compare: MAKE ONE’S BED ANDLIE IN IT, PAY THE PIPER, TAKE ONE’S MEDICINE.

[face-to-face]{adv. phr.} 1. With your face looking toward the face ofanother person; each facing the other. •/Turning a corner, he found himselfface-to-face with a policeman./ •/The two teams for the spelling bee stoodface-to-face on opposite sides of the classroom./ •/The church and theschool stand face-to-face across the street./ 2. In the presence of anotheror others. •/She was thrilled to meet the President face-to-face./ •/Ihave heard about him, but I never met him face-to-face./ Compare: IN PERSON.3. To the point where you must do something. — Used with "with". •/Thesolution of the first problem brought him face-to-face with a secondproblem./ Compare: UP AGAINST.

[face-to-face]{adj.} Being in the presence of a person; being rightwith someone. •/The British prime minister came to Washington for aface-to-face meeting with the President./

[face up to]{v. phr.} 1. To bravely confront a person or a challenge;admit. •/Jack doesn’t want to face up to the fact that Helen doesn’t love himanymore./ •/Jane cannot face up to her mother-in-law who always wins everyargument they have./ 2. To confess something to someone; confess to havingdone something. •/Jim had to face up to having stolen a sweater from thedepartment store./ Contrast: FACE DOWN.

[face value]{n.} 1. The worth or price printed on a stamp, bond, note,piece of paper money, etc. •/The savings bond had a face value of $25./ 2.The seeming worth or truth of something. •/She took his stories at face valueand did not know he was joking./

[faced with]{adj. phr.} Confronted with. •/We were all faced withthe many wars that broke out in the wake of the collapse of communism./

[fact] See: IN FACT, MATTER-OF-FACT.

[facts of life]{n. phr.} 1. The truth which we should know about sex,marriage, and births. •/His father told him the facts of life when he was oldenough./ 2. The truths one learns about people and their good and bad habitsof life, work or play. •/As a cub reporter he would learn the facts of lifein the newspaper world./

[fade back]{v.} To back away from the line before passing in football.•/The quarterback is fading back to pass./ Compare: DROP BACK.

[fail] See: WITHOUT FAIL.

[fail to do]{v. phr.} To neglect to do something that is expected ofone. •/Tom waited for Jane for nearly an hour, but she failed to show up./

[fair] See: BID FAIR, PLAY FAIR.