keep an eye on

phraseB2Not compared — the two pools are counted one word at a time, so a phrase has no score

To keep an eye on something is to watch it carefully so that nothing goes wrong. Not staring — checking, regularly.

It is one of the most used phrases in English domestic life, since somebody is always being asked to keep an eye on a pan, a child or a bag. It suggests responsibility without full attention, which is exactly why it is so useful. The stronger version is keep a close eye on. Its opposite in feeling is turn a blind eye, which means deliberately not noticing something.

Definitions of keep an eye on

1phrasekeep an eye onTo watch something or someone carefully to prevent problems.B2
“Could you keep an eye on the soup while I answer the door?”

Practised in Idioms, A Man Called Ove, Ways of Looking

First appears in chapter 3 of A Man Called Ove.

Practise this word

← Vocabulary

keep an eye on

phraseB2Not compared — the two pools are counted one word at a time, so a phrase has no score

To keep an eye on something is to watch it carefully so that nothing goes wrong. Not staring — checking, regularly.

Definitions of keep an eye on

1phrasekeep an eye onTo watch something or someone carefully to prevent problems.B2
“Could you keep an eye on the soup while I answer the door?”

Practised in Idioms, A Man Called Ove, Ways of Looking

First appears in chapter 3 of A Man Called Ove.

Practise this word