Dictionary

apple of someone's eye en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio
• /ˌæpl̩‿əv sʌmwʌnz ˈaɪ/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˌæp(ə)l‿əv sʌmwʌnz ˈaɪ/ (General-American)

Etymology

PIE word *h₂ébōl From Middle English appel of the eie (“pupil of the eye; cornea; (figurative) something highly valued”), from Old English æppel on the ēagan, used in biblical texts (Deuteronomy 32:10, Psalm 17:8; Proverbs 7:2, Lamentations 2:18, and Zechariah 2:8; compare the quotations) to designate the pupil of the eye as something precious to be protected. The use of "apple" in English is apparently due to the pupil or cornea being thought of as a solid, globular object.

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) The object of somebody's affections; a person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers; a favorite, a loved one.
   • Kepe me as the apple of an eye, defende me vnder the ſhadowe of thy wynges. 1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, Psalm xvj:[8], folio xiiij, recto, column 2:
   • It lost, moreover, on its very first evening, one of the very apples of its eye in the removal of Mr. Brown's grand heifer, who was the gold medallist of her sex. She was seized with distemper, and at once removed to an adjacent stall. 1858 December 11, “The Smithfield Club Show”, in The Illustrated London News, volume XXXIII, number 949, London: George C. Leighton […], →OCLC, page 557, column 1:
   • If you touche him [Philip II of Spain] in the Indies, you touche the apple of his eye; for take away his treasure, which is neruus belli [the sinews of war], and which he hath almoste oute of his West Indies, his olde bandes of souldiers will soone be dissolved, his purposes defeated, his power and strengthe diminished, his pride abated, and his tyranie utterly suppressed. 1584 (date written), Richard Hakluyt, “What Speciall Meanes may Bringe Kinge Phillippe from His Highe Throne, and Make Him Equall to the Princes His Neighboures; wherewithall is Shewed His Weaknes in the West Indies”, in A Particuler Discourse Concerning the Greate Necessitie and Manifolde Comodyties that are Like to Growe to this Realme of Englande by the Westerne Discoueries Lately Attempted, […]; published in Charles Deane, editor, A Discourse on Western Planting, […] (Collections of the Maine Historical Society, Second Series; II), Cambridge, Mass.: […] John Wilson and Son [for the Maine Historical Society], 1877, →OCLC, page 59:
   • For the Lords portion is his people: Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. He found him in a deſert land, and in the wasſe howling wilderneſſe: Hee ledde him about, he inſtructed him, hee kept him as the apple of his eye. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Deuteronomy 32:9–10, column 1:
   • You are the sunshine of my life / That's why I'll always be around / You are the apple of my eye / Forever you'll stay in my heart 1972 October 27, Stevie Wonder, “You Are the Sunshine of My Life”, in Talking Book, Detroit, Mich.: Tamla, →OCLC:
   • [P]oor Richard was to me as an eldest son, the apple of my eye, and my destined heir; but he died in his duty, and I—I— […] I live to avenge him. 1816, Jedadiah Cleishbotham [pseudonym; Walter Scott], chapter VII, in Tales of My Landlord, […], volume III (Old Mortality), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for William Blackwood, […]; London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, page 139:
   • I hoped that he had truly loved us, that we had honestly been the apples of his eye. 2014, Mary Ellen Bramwell, “Healing”, in The Apple of My Eye, [Castroville, Tex.]: Black Rose Writing, published 2020, →ISBN, part 3 (Gathering Light), page 223:
   • You see the apple of your eye, stackin' peaches in a five foot pile / Just waitin' for some guy to come, and take her rollin' down the aisle 1981 (date recorded), “Prowlin’”, in Dominic Bugatti, Frank Musker, Christopher Cerf (lyrics), Grease 2: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, New York, N.Y.: RSO Records, published 11 June 1982, →OCLC:
   • She's got all the friends that money can buy / She's the apple of her daddy's eye 2000 February 29, Lou Watts, Harry Hamer, Danbert Nobacon, Dunstan Bruce, Jude Abbot, Boff Whalley, Alice Nutter, Neil Ferguson, “She’s Got All the Friends That Money Can Buy”, in WYSIWYG, performed by Chumbawamba, London: EMI, →OCLC:
   • Sara was never the same after losing her daughter, the apple of her eye.

Forms

Relateds

eye-apple · glint in the milkman's eye · twinkle in one's father's eye · apple of the eye

Translations (36)

az gözün ağı-qarası (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · ru свет оче́й (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · nb øyensten (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · el κόρη οφθαλμού (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · az bəbək (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · ta கண்மணி (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · uk світло моїх очей (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · tr gözbebeği (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · fr prunelle de ses yeux (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · ca la nina dels ulls ft (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · ja 目に入れても痛くないもの (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · ro lumina ochilor (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · sh zjenica oka (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · nb noens øyensten (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · pt menina dos olhos (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · de Augapfel (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · da øjesten (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · ru зени́ца о́ка (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · nb ens øyensten (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · pl oczko w głowie (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · ar قُرَّةُ عَيْن (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · eo pupilo de sia okulo (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · hi आँख का तारा (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · nl oogappel (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · sv ögonsten (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · es el ojito derecho de alguien (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · nv ayóó ábídóóʼní (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · hu szeme fénye (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · fi silmäterä (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · he בָּבַת עַיִן (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · cmn 心肝寶貝 /心肝宝贝 (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · es la niña de sus ojos (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · af oogappel (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · gd dearc na sùla (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · af oogappeltjie (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers) · az göz bəbəyi (object of somebody’s affections; person (or sometimes a thing) that someone strongly prefers)