before one's eyes

== English == === Alternative forms === in front of one's eyes under one's eyes === Prepositional phrase === before one's eyes In one's plain view. ==== Usage notes ==== Often used when referring to a surprising or negative event experienced viscerally but with a degree of detachment, often due to being powerless to change the circumstances: He saw his life being destroyed before his eyes. === Further reading === “before one’s eyes”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022. “before someone’s eyes”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present. “before your very eyes”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present. “before your eyes”, in Collins English Dictionary. “before/in front of/under your eyes”, in Collins English Dictionary. “in front of someone's (very) eyes” (US) / “in front of someone's (very) eyes” (UK) in Macmillan English Dictionary.