“Eagle eyes” is an idiom that refers to someone with keen observation and intuition. Idioms are sayings that mean something different from their literal meaning, often using metaphors or similes. Other animal idioms include “bigger fish to fry,” “beating a dead horse,” and “all bark and no bite.” While clichéd, idioms can be effective forms of communication.
An eagle-eyed person notices everything and every detail, but having eagle eyes is as much about vision as it is about intuition. Like most idioms, the direct meaning of this saying is different from the implied meaning. Idioms use a comparison or metaphor to clarify an idea. Though usually clichéd, idioms can still be used as effective forms of communication.
Idioms are sayings that mean something other than the literal meaning of the specific words they imply. They are often metaphors or similes, and because of their common usage, the meanings are implicitly understood by most people. The term “eagle eyes” is a metaphor for someone with keen powers of observation and intuition. This person has an extraordinarily acute ability to direct his attention to an object. The “eagle eyes” idiom also suggests a sense of predatory perceptiveness due to the metaphorical allusion to a bird of prey.
The reference to an eagle is appropriate when describing someone with keen observational skills. Eagles are known for their amazing vision. While hunting, these birds of prey often find the highest vantage point, such as a tall, leafless tree, so that their vision is not obstructed. Some eagles can spot a fish in the water from several hundred feet in the air, even while in flight. Since the color on a fish’s top usually blends with the color of the water, this is no small accomplishment.
The idioms used by animals are very common. Some examples are “bigger fish to fry” which means that a person has more important issues to deal with than what is at hand. Another example is “beating a dead horse”, which means that trying to change something or someone’s opinion is futile, because it can’t be done. A person who is “all barks and does not bite” does not support his angry words with action.
Most idioms are well-worn sayings that people have heard over and over again. They aren’t necessarily great for writing if someone is trying to impress others with their powers of metaphorical creativity. Idioms can certainly get the point across and can provide economical use of words. It’s much more fun and colorful to say that someone looks like “a deer caught in headlights” than to tell someone that they appear to be caught off guard and can’t figure out how to react or what to say.
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