Idiom Topics

  • The Ubiquitous Essentials

    10
    • On the other hand
    • At the end of the day
    • In the long run
    • Bear in mind
    • A piece of cake
    • Keep an eye on
    • Out of the blue
    • Rule of thumb
    • So far, so good
    • Behind the scenes

  • Everyday Casual & Workplace

    10
    • Under the weather
    • Call it a day
    • Up in the air
    • Wrap your head around
    • Break the ice
    • Get out of hand
    • Go the extra mile
    • Touch base
    • Hit the nail on the head
    • Cut corners

  • Problem Solving & Interaction

    10
    • See eye to eye
    • Read between the lines
    • Take it with a grain of salt
    • Get the hang of it
    • Give the benefit of the doubt
    • The elephant in the room
    • Hit the ground running
    • Play it by ear
    • Bite the bullet
    • Sit on the fence

  • Decisions & Perspectives

    9
    • Jump on the bandwagon
    • Cross that bridge when we come to it
    • The best of both worlds
    • A blessing in disguise
    • Once in a blue moon
    • Pull someone's leg
    • Miss the boat
    • Better late than never
    • Get your act together

  • Colorful & Traditional

    10
    • Spill the beans
    • Let the cat out of the bag
    • Bite off more than you can chew
    • Go back to the drawing board
    • Barking up the wrong tree
    • Actions speak louder than words
    • A penny for your thoughts
    • Break a leg
    • Hit the sack
    • Beat around the bush

  • Academic & Formal Discourse

    10
    • Bear fruit
    • Pave the way
    • Shed light on
    • Go hand in hand
    • Tip the scales
    • Fly in the face of
    • Bring to the table
    • Turn a blind eye
    • Draw a blank
    • State of the art

  • Emotions & Reactions

    10
    • Over the moon
    • Down in the dumps
    • On edge
    • Blow off steam
    • Keep your cool
    • Drive someone up the wall
    • On cloud nine
    • A weight off my shoulders
    • At your wits' end
    • Thrilled to bits

  • Effort, Success, & Failure

    10
    • Start from scratch
    • Pass with flying colors
    • Fall flat
    • Go down the drain
    • Keep your head above water
    • Pay off
    • Throw in the towel
    • Make headway
    • Uphill battle
    • Back to square one

  • Time, Speed, & Urgency

    10
    • Beat the clock
    • At the eleventh hour
    • Around the clock
    • In the nick of time
    • Drag your feet
    • Time flies
    • Make up for lost time
    • Call time on
    • Ahead of the curve
    • On the spur of the moment

  • Resources, Money, & Value

    10
    • Make ends meet
    • Foot the bill
    • Break the bank
    • Tighten your belt
    • Bang for your buck
    • A drop in the ocean
    • Make a killing
    • On a shoestring budget
    • Worth your weight in gold
    • Pay top dollar

Keep an eye on

Learn the meaning, origin, and usage of the idiom "Keep an eye on" with five example sentences across different contexts. This idiom is part of ourThe Ubiquitous Essentials collection for PTE and IELTS preparation.

The Ubiquitous Essentials

Keep an eye on

Keep an eye on
To watch someone or something carefully; to monitor or look after a person or object to ensure safety or proper condition.
History & Origin

The idiom stems from maritime and guarding traditions in the 18th and 19th centuries, where lookouts were ordered to keep 'an eye' focused on the horizon or a specific point of danger. Because a human cannot literally split their vision, the phrase implies dedicating a continuous portion of one's attention to a specific task while remaining occupied with others. Over time, it transitioned from literal military and sailing watch duties into a common household and workplace expression.

Examples
Workplace Email

Could you please keep an eye on the server metrics while I am in the afternoon meeting to make sure we don't experience another outage?

Casual Conversation

Hey, can you keep an eye on my luggage for a quick second while I run to the restroom?

Academic Writing

Economists must keep an eye on fluctuating inflation rates, as minor adjustments can profoundly impact consumer spending behavior.

News/Media

Meteorologists are urging coastal residents to keep an eye on the developing tropical storm over the weekend.

Formal Speech

As we implement these new organizational changes, management will closely keep an eye on team morale to ensure a smooth transition.

Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses the idiom correctly?

A. I tried to keep an eye on my homework yesterday, so I left it at home by mistake.

B. While you are cooking the sauce, make sure to keep an eye on it so that it doesn't boil over.

C. He wanted to keep an eye on his new shoes, which made his feet feel incredibly comfortable during the marathon.

D. She decided to keep an eye on the book she already finished reading last year.