keep an eye on

/kiːp ən aɪ ɒn/
watch or monitor closely

Can you keep an eye on the kids while I run to the store?

Watch the children carefully while I am away.

◆ What It Really Means
To watch or monitor something or someone closely to ensure safety, progress, or proper behavior.
Literal Meaning
To maintain a single eye directed toward something.
Literal Breakdown
keepto maintain or continue+an eyea single eye+ondirected toward
◇ Mental Image
The mental picture is of someone using their vision to carefully observe something, symbolizing vigilance and attention.
◈ When to Use
A parent might ask a babysitter to keep an eye on their child while they are out, ensuring the child's safety and well-being.
◉ Cultural Note
This phrase is widely used in English-speaking cultures to convey the idea of careful observation without being overly formal.
informal

To watch or monitor something or someone closely to ensure safety, progress, or proper behavior.

The manager asked me to keep an eye on the new employee during their first week.

The manager wanted me to monitor the new employee closely to ensure they were adjusting well.

Keep an eye on the weather forecast; it might rain later.

Monitor the weather updates to stay informed about potential rain.

This phrase is commonly used in everyday conversation to indicate careful observation.

Collocations

keep an eye out forto watch for something or someone

Related Phrases

keep a close eye onphrase
to watch very carefully
keep an eye out forphrase
to watch for something or someone

Pro Tip

Common Usage

This phrase is often used when asking someone to watch over something or someone temporarily.

Gold Rule

Context Matters

While the phrase is informal, it can be used in professional settings when discussing supervision or monitoring tasks.

Word Origin

The phrase originates from the idea of using one's eyes to watch something carefully, with 'eye' symbolizing vigilance.

Usage Notes

This phrase is versatile and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, though it is more common in casual speech.

Word Breakdown

keep
to maintain or continue
root
+
an eye
vision or attention
root
+
on
directed toward
preposition
English Dictionary
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