Seeing eye to eye

Posted by Masakim on October 23, 2001

In Reply to: Seeing eye to eye posted by R. Berg on October 23, 2001

: : What does 'Seeing eye to eye " mean?
: : Thanks.

: : Wilfried

: From the Oxford English Dictionary:
: "To see eye to eye" (Isa. lii. 8): often misused for to be of one mind, think alike."

: The Biblical verse that the OED refers to (King James version):
: "Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion."

: So it doesn't properly mean being of one mind. Maybe somebody else knows what it does mean.

In the Bible (Isaiah 52:8), "eye to eye," is used in the sense of "face to face; with one's own eyes."

Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices, They shout joyfully together; For they will see with their own eyes When the LORD restores Zion. (New American Standard Bible)

The watchmen shout and sing with joy, for before their very eyes they see the LORD bringing his people home to Jerusalem. (New Living Translation)

It is now very "often misused for to be of one mind, think alike":

The Communist and the Socialist will not see eye to eye with Dr. Inge; nor will anyone of any colour who attempts to enslave the individual to the State. (_Time Literary Supplement_, Oct 29, 1938)

He wished to affirm the solidaity of the Axis and to dispel the rumours that he and the Duce did not see eye to eye in regard to foreign policy. (_Spectator_, June 1939)

• Seeing eye to eye Michael 11/01/01