before one's eyes

English

Alternative forms

• in front of one's eyes
• under one's eyes

Prepositional phrase

before one's eyes

1. In one's plain view.

Usage notes

• Often used when referring to a surprising or negative event experienced viscerally but with a degree of detachment, often due to being powerless to change the circumstances: He saw his life being destroyed before his eyes.

Further reading

• “before one's eyes”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
• “before someone's eyes”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “before your very eyes”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present.
• “before your eyes”, in Collins English Dictionary.
• “before/in front of/under your eyes”, in Collins English Dictionary.
• “in front of someone's (very) eyes” (US) / “in front of someone's (very) eyes” (UK) in Macmillan English Dictionary.