eye-opener en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₃ekʷ-der. Proto-Germanic *augô Proto-West Germanic *augā Old English ēage Middle English eye English eye English opener English eye-opener From eye + opener.
Meanings
- (literally) Something that causes the eyes to open, or that opens the eyes.
- (informal) Something that provides a sudden insight, or makes something clear that was previously mysterious.
-
(idiomatic, informal) A startling or shocking revelation.
That was a very big eye-opener for me, after being very cocooned, living most of my life in the city where I was born and raised.
2013, R. Heppner, The Lost Leaders: How Corporate America Loses Women Leaders:A visit to the slaughterhouse was a real eye-opener to anyone who thought they understood where their food came from.
-
(euphemistic, informal) A strong alcoholic beverage, especially one consumed in the morning.
As soon as I got on the plane I asked the flight attendant for an eye-opener, but all he had to offer was orange juice.
-
(informal, qualifier:sometimes objectifying) An attractive woman.
Near-synonym: eye candy
Seems appropriate that Ann Miller should be in Columbia's "Reveille With Beverly." We've never seen anyone capable of "showing a leg" more attractively. At close range, too, she's an eye-opener.
1943 August 19, “It's high time you met ANN MILLER”, in Good Morning, number 106, London: Royal Navy Submarine Branch, →OCLC, page 1:A woman cycling in a skirt was a hazard to herself and an eye-opener for men on the sidelines every time she raised a leg or fell off her bike.
1998, Charles Panati, Sexy Origins and Intimate Things, New York: Penguin Books, →ISBN, page 274:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| eyeopener | alternative | lexicographic | |
| eye opener | alternative | lexicographic | |
| eye-openers | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
nightcap · fuddling · potent potable · tipple · grog · potation · drink · tiddly · tincture · shot · alcohol · adult beverage · sauce · carouse · pick-me-up · lush · strong drink · libation · hard drink · bevvy · liquor · booze · strong water
Relateds
open someone's eyes · eye-opening
Synonyms
Translations (7)
sv tankeställare (revelation) · de Augenöffner (revelation) · nb øyeåpner (revelation) · nn augeopnar (revelation) · pt abre-olhos (revelation) · sv ögonöppnare (revelation) · da øjenåbner (revelation)