Word Confusion: Aye versus Eye

Plural for the noun: ayes

Plural for the noun: eyes, eyen [archaic], eyne [archaic] Gerund: eyeing, eying

Third person present verb: eyes
Past tense or past participle: eyed
Present participle: eyeing, eying

Exclamation:
[Archaic or dialect] Said to express assent ²

• Yes
• [Nautical; aye, aye] A response acknowledging an order
• [In voting] I assent

Noun:
An affirmative answer or assent, especially in voting ²

• An affirmative vote or voter, especially in British Parliament, corresponding to yea in U.S. Congress

• The corresponding visual or light-detecting organ of many invertebrate animals
• The aggregate of structures situated within or near the orbit that assist, support, or protect the eye.
• The region of the face surrounding the eyes
• Used to refer to someone’s power of vision and in descriptions of the manner or direction of someone’s gaze, look, glance

Sight

• Vision

The power of seeing

This organ with respect to the color of the iris

A thing resembling or suggesting an eye in appearance, shape, or relative position

• A rounded eye-like marking on an animal, such as those on the tail of a peacock
• An eyespot
• [Botany] A round, dark spot on a potato from which a new shoot can grow
• [US] A center cut of meat
• The central spot of a target
• [Botany] The center of a flower, especially when distinctively colored
• [Meteorology; also, the eye of the storm] The calm region at the center of a storm or hurricane
• [Nautical; eyes] The extreme forward part of a ship
• [Chiefly Southern US] The round flat cover over the hole on the top of a wood-burning stove

Used to refer to someone’s opinion, regard, view, aim, intention or attitude toward something

An attentive look, close observation, or watch

A manner or way of looking at something

• Judgment
• Opinion

A center of light, intelligence, influence, etc.

A hole made in a thing for the insertion of some object, as the handle of a tool

The small hole in a needle through which the thread is passed

• [Also hook-and-eye] A small metal loop into which a hook is fitted as a fastener on a garment
• [Nautical] A loop at the end of a rope, especially one at the top end of a shroud or stay
• a metal or other ring through which something, as a rope or rod, is passed

[Electronics] A photoelectric cell or similar device used to perform a function analogous to visual inspection

[Building Trades] A ring on the end of a tension member for connection with another member

A hole formed during the maturation of cheese, especially Emmenthaler or Gruyère

[Nautical] the precise direction from which a wind is blowing

[South African] The source of a spring or river

[Informal] A detective, especially a private investigator

Verb, intransitive:
[Obsolete] To appear or seem to the eye

Verb, transitive:
Look at or watch closely or with interest

To fix the eyes upon

• View

To observe or watch narrowly

To make an eye in

“Love that will aye endure.” – W.S. Gilbert

I’ve aye fancied seeing Edinburgh.

Exclamation:
Aye, you’re right about that.

Aye aye, captain.

All in favor say, aye.

Noun:
The House was divided: Ayes 211, Noes 271.

The ayes have it.

The ayes outnumber the nays.

The basic components of the vertebrate eye are a transparent cornea, an adjustable iris, a lens for focusing, a sensitive retina lining the back of the eye, and a clear fluid- or jelly-filled center.

The most primitive animals only have one or two eyespots, while many other invertebrates have several simple eyes or a pair of compound eyes.

He’s got a black eye.

My cat is blind in one eye.

Closing her eyes, she tried to relax.

Her eyes were swollen with crying.

His sharp eyes had missed nothing.

I couldn’t take my eyes off him.

In the eyes of his younger colleagues, Mr. Arnett was an eccentric.

To European eyes, it may seem that the city is overcrowded.

She has the most amazing blue eyes.

We were under the eye of a guard.

Position and glue eyes into place behind the windows in each of the copper shapes.

Look here, in the eye of the camera.

Most used is the front big eye and the frying pan is a cast iron skillet.

Chestnut eyes spotted her trademark wings and he carefully made his way over to her.

Check to see if there are any withered potatoes sprouting at the eyes.

She got a deal on an eye of round at the store.

You got a bull’s-eye!

It had delicate flowers of light blue color, with white or yellow eyes.

The smaller the eye, the more intense the winds.

It was hanging in the eyes of the ship.

To my eye, it’s a great plan.

We are all equal in the eyes of the law.

Evaluate the text with a critical eye.

“With an eye toward the long-term dynamics between institutions, culture, and technology, we look at algorithms and technology as a relatively new element integrated into the dynamics of broader media systems while keeping grasp of many more traditional vectors and structures” (Benkler).

One must have an eye to one’s own advantage.

Don’t make the eye of your ax that big.

She used strands of glass tiny enough to pass through the eye of a needle.

An eye hook would be perfect to fasten that dress.

This can be used to clear clogged hook eyes, bad casting knots, and back lashes.

Watch out for the eye of that sensor.

Give me that eye bolt, Hank.

That Emmenthaler has so many eyes, there’s almost no cheese.

Head up into the eye of the wind.

Later that year, after an earthquake, a new spring eye burst open, bringing to the surface fossils and stone tools.

He’s a private eye.

Verb, intransitive:
Inattentive, he eyed without focus.

Whatever she was eyeing was only in her mind’s eye.

Verb, transitive:
Rose eyed him warily.

He eyed the wonders of nature.

She eyed the two strangers with suspicion.

Ye’ll have to eye that needle.

1. Middle English from the Old Norse ei, ey and related to the Latin aevum meaning age and the Greek aie(i) meaning ever, aiōn meaning eon.
2. Late 16th century, probably from I, first person personal pronoun, expressing assent.