Turn a blind eye - Idioms by The Free Dictionary

COMMON If you turn a blind eye to something bad that is happening, you deliberately ignore it because you do not want to take any action over it. The ... Turnablindeye-IdiomsbyTheFreeDictionaryhttps://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/turn+a+blind+eyePrinterFriendly turnablindeyeAlsofoundin:Dictionary,Thesaurus,Medical,Financial,Encyclopedia,Wikipedia.Relatedtoturnablindeye:turnadeafear turnablindeye(tosomething)Toknowinglyignoresomewrongdoing.Can'tyoujustturnablindeyetothislittleincident,insteadoftellingMomandDad?Ifregulatorshadn'tkeptturningablindeyeforsomanyyears,thousandsofconsumersmightnothavesufferedfromthecompany'sinfractions.Seealso:blind,eye,turnFarlexDictionaryofIdioms.©2022Farlex,Inc,allrightsreserved.turnablindeye(tosomeoneorsomething)Fig.toignoresomethingandpretendyoudonotseeit.Theusherturnedablindeyetothelittleboywhosneakedintothetheater.Howcanyouturnablindeyetoallthosestarvingchildren?Seealso:blind,eye,turnMcGraw-HillDictionaryofAmericanIdiomsandPhrasalVerbs.©2002byTheMcGraw-HillCompanies,Inc.turnablindeyeCOMMONIfyouturnablindeyetosomethingbadthatishappening,youdeliberatelyignoreitbecauseyoudonotwanttotakeanyactionoverit.Theauthoritieswereturningablindeyetohumanrightsabuses.Shechosetoturnablindeyetowhatshesuspectedwasgoingon.You'renottryingtosuggestIshouldturnablindeyeandforgetallaboutit?Note:ThisexpressionwasfirstusedtodescribetheactionofAdmiralNelsonattheBattleoftheNilein1798.Whentoldthathewasbeingorderedtowithdraw,heputatelescopetohisblindeyeandsaidthathecouldnotseethesignal.Hewentontowinthebattle.Seealso:blind,eye,turnCollinsCOBUILDIdiomsDictionary,3rded.©HarperCollinsPublishers2012turnablindeyepretendnottonotice.ThisphraseissaidtobeareferencetoAdmiralHoratioNelson(1758–1805),wholiftedatelescopetohisblindeyeattheBattleofCopenhagen(1801),therebyensuringthathefailedtoseehissuperior'ssignaltodiscontinuetheaction.Alessusualversion,referringdirectlytothisstory,isturnaNelsoneye.Seealso:blind,eye,turnFarlexPartnerIdiomsDictionary©Farlex2017turnablindˈeye(tosomething)pretendnottoseesomethingorknowaboutsomething:There’ssomuchsufferingintheworld,youcan’tjustturnablindeyetoit.♢Thepolicehereseemtoturnablindeyetopettycrime.OPPOSITE:watchsomebody/somethinglikeahawkSeealso:blind,eye,turnFarlexPartnerIdiomsDictionary©Farlex2017turnablindeye/deafear,toTooverlooksomethingdeliberately.Oneoftheseexpressionsappearstohaveaspecifichistoricorigin.In1801LordHoratioNelson,secondincommandoftheEnglishfleet,wasbesiegingCopenhagen.Theflagshiphadsentupsignalsforthefleettowithdraw,butNelsonwantedbadlytoattack.HehadlostthesightofoneeyeatCalvi,soheputtheglasstohisblindeyeandtoldhislieutenanthecouldseenosignalstowithdraw.HisattackforcedtheFrenchtosurrender,amajorvictory.“Turningadeafear”towhatonedoesnotwishtohearismucholder.WalterHylton(ScalaPerfeccionis)useditabout1440:“Makedeeferetohemasthoughthouherdehemnot.”Versionsoftheclichéarefoundinalloftheprincipalproverbcollectionsfrom1546(JohnHeywood)to1721(JamesKelly).Seealsofallondeafears.Seealso:blind,deaf,eye,to,turnTheDictionaryofClichésbyChristineAmmerCopyright©2013byChristineAmmerSeealso:turnablindeye(tosomething)turnablindeyetoturnablindeye/deafear,tohavenosenseofshamesenseofshameturntheotherwaychancechance(doing)(something)penalizepenalize(someoneorsomething)for(something) WanttothankTFDforitsexistence?Tellafriendaboutus,addalinktothispage,orvisitthewebmaster'spageforfreefuncontent. Linktothispage:turnablindeye Facebook Twitter Feedback Flashcards&Bookmarks ? PleaseloginorregistertouseFlashcardsandBookmarks.YoucanalsologinwithFacebookTwitterGoogle Flashcards ? Mybookmarks ? + Addcurrentpagetobookmarks Referencesinperiodicalsarchive ? Hesays:"IwastoldIshouldturnablindeyetosomethingsasitwasgivingthegameabadname.Punditwritesshintyoff!Inthathewrote:"TheFAareinvestigating,forexactlywhat?"RepublicofIrelandinternationalMcCleanalsoclaimedtheFA"turnablindeye"toTHE"years"ofabusehehasreceived."Theyturnablindeyeandnotasinglewordorcondemnationofanysort."McCleaniswarnedbyEnglishFAWedidnotturnablindeyetothebutchersofEuropeduringthedarkestdaysoftheSecondWorldWar.VoiceoftheMirror:Savethesevictimsfromtyrant'sevilHeadded:"Theywouldratherturnablindeyetoit.Carechiefs'turnablindeyetoabuse' Idiomsbrowser ? ▲turn(one's)handto(something)turn(one's)headturn(one's)lifeupsidedownturn(one's)mindto(something)turn(one's)noseupturn(one's)noseupat(someoneorsomething)turn(one's)stomachturn(one's)toesupturn(one's)wateroffturn(one's)worldupsidedownturn(over)in(one's)graveturn(someoneorsomething)looseturn(someoneorsomething)outof(somethingorsomeplace)turn(someoneorsomething)outtograssturn(someoneorsomething)upsidedownturn(someone)around(one's)(little)fingerturn(someone)round(one's)(little)fingerturn(something)insideoutturn(something)onitsearturn(something)onitsheadturn(something)overin(one's)mindturn(something)to(one's)advantageturn(something)toaccountturn(something)togoodaccountturn180degreesturnablindeyeturnablindeye(tosomething)turnablindeyetoturnablindeye/deafear,toturnacornerturnadeafearturnadeafear(tosomeoneorsomething)turnahair,notturnaphraseturnaplaceupsidedownturnaprofitturnasow'searintoasilkpurseturnatrickturnatrick/tricksturnaboutturnagainstturnagainst(someoneorsomething)turnanhonestpennyturnandturnaboutturnaroundturnaround(something)turnaroundand(dosomething)turnasideturnawayturnawayfrom(someoneorsomething)turnback▼ Fullbrowser ? ▲turn(one's)head turn(one's)head turn(one's)head turn(one's)lifeupsidedown turn(one's)mindto(something) turn(one's)noseup turn(one's)noseupat(someoneorsomething) turn(one's)stomach turn(one's)toesup turn(one's)wateroff turn(one's)worldupsidedown turn(one)awayfrom(someoneorsomething) turn(one)onto(something) turn(over)in(one's)grave turn(someoneorsomething)insideout turn(someoneorsomething)loose turn(someoneorsomething)outof(somethingorsomeplace) turn(someoneorsomething)outtograss turn(someoneorsomething)upsidedown turn(someone's)crank turn(someone)around(one's)(little)finger turn(someone)round(one's)(little)finger turn(something)insideout turn(something)onitsear turn(something)onitshead turn(something)overin(one's)mind turn(something)to(one's)advantage turn(something)toaccount turn(something)togoodaccount turn180degrees turnablindeyeturnablindeye(tosomething) turnablindeyeto turnablindeyeto(something) turnablindeyetosomething turnablindeye/deafear turnablindeye/deafear,to turnacorner turnacorner turnacorner turnacorner turnacorner turnadeafear turnadeafear turnadeafear turnadeafear turnadeafear turnadeafear(tosomeoneorsomething) turnadeafearto turnadeafearto turnadeafearto turnadeafearto turnadeafearto turnahair turnahair turnahair turnahair turnahair turnahair,not turnaloss turnanicedime ▼ FacebookShare Twitter CITE Site: Follow: Facebook Twitter Rss Mail Share: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Mail Open/Close MorefromIdiomsandphrases MobileApps Apple Android Kindle Windows WindowsPhone FreeTools Forsurfers: Freetoolbar&extensions WordoftheDay WordFinder Help Forwebmasters: Freecontent Linking Lookupbox