turn a blind eye

turn a blind eye {v. phr.}

To pretend not to see; not pay attention.

The corrupt police chief turned a blind eye to the open gambling in the town.

Bob turned a blind eye to the "No Fishing" sign.

Compare: CLOSE ONE'S EYES.

Categories:

Source: A Dictionary of American Idioms

To section: T

Subscribe to: American Idioms

✉

Our RSS-channels

Show All

See as well

fly blind

[fly blind] {v. phr.} 1. To fly an airplane by instruments alone. * /In the heavy fog he had to fly blind./ 2. {informal} To do something without understanding what […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

stone-blind

[stone-blind] {adj. phr.} 1. Completely blind. * /Poor Al is stone-blind and needs help to get across the street carefully./ 2. Highly intoxicated. * /George drank too much and got […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

blind alley

[blind alley] {n.} 1. A narrow street that has only one entrance and no exit. * /The blind alley ended in a brick wall./ 2. A way of acting that […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

blind leading the blind

[blind leading the blind] One or more people who do not know or understand something trying to explain it to others who do not know or understand. * /Jimmy is […] A Dictionary of American Idioms

Recent updates

лёгок на помине

[лёгок на помине] {turn of speech} [`l'iogok na po`minye] {literally} ~volatile if/while mentioned. {informal} […]

attributed to Oliver Cromwell

Put your trust in God--but keep your powder dry.

pull out of a hat

[pull out of a hat] {v. phr.}, {informal} To get as if by magic; invent; imagine. * /When the introduction to a dictionary […]

read between the lines

[read between the lines] {v. phr.} To understand all of a writer's meaning by guessing at what he has left unsaid. * /Some […]