turn a blind eye

== English == === Alternative forms === turn the blind eye (archaic) === Etymology === Probably from the idea of a person turning to look at something but not seeing it, as if their eyes are blind. The term is frequently claimed to originate from an incident during the First Battle of Copenhagen on 2 April 1801, when Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson (1758–1805) was ordered by Admiral Hyde Parker (1739–1807) through signal flags to discontinue naval action against a force of the Dano-Norwegian Navy. Nelson, who had been blinded in one eye early in his career, said to his flag captain Thomas Foley (1757–1833), “You know, Foley, I have only one eye—I have a right to be blind sometimes.” He then put his telescope to his blind eye and, remarking “I really do not see the signal,” continued the assault which ended in a British victory. However, this is not the source of the term as the Oxford English Dictionary records uses dating to the 17th and 18th centuries. === Pronunciation === enPR: tûrn′ ə blīnd′ ī′, tûrn′ ā′- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈtɜːn ə ˌblaɪ̯nd ˈaɪ̯/; /ˈtɜːn ˌeɪ̯-/ (General American, Canada) IPA(key): /ˈtɜɹn ə ˌblaɪ̯nd ˈaɪ̯/; /ˈtɜɹn ˌeɪ̯-/ (Canada) IPA(key): /ˈtɜɹn ə ˌblʌɪ̯nd ˈʌɪ̯/ (General Australian) IPA(key): /ˈtɜːn ə ˌblɑe̯nd ˈɑe̯/; /ˈtɜːn ˌæɪ̯-/ (New Zealand) IPA(key): /ˈtøːn ə ˌblaɪ̯nd ˈaɪ̯/; /ˈtøːn ˌæɪ̯-/ (Scotland) IPA(key): /ˈtʌɹn ə ˌblaɪ̯nd ˈaɪ̯/, /ˈtʌɹn ə ˌblʌi̯nd ˈʌi̯/, /ˈtʌɹn ə ˌbləi̯nd ˈəi̯/; /ˈtʌɹn ˌe-/ (India) IPA(key): /ˈʈəːʳn a ˌblajnɖ ˈaj/; /ˈʈəːʳn ˌeː-/ Hyphenation: turn a blind eye === Verb === turn a blind eye (third-person singular simple present turns a blind eye, present participle turning a blind eye, simple past and past participle turned a blind eye) (intransitive, idiomatic) To deliberately or knowingly ignore, overlook, or refuse to acknowledge something, especially when improper or unpleasant; to look the other way. [with to] Synonyms: close one's eyes, shut one's eyes, wink; (obsolete) connive The mother turned a blind eye to her son’s mischief as she expected him not to repeat it. ==== Usage notes ==== In early use, the term was often employed in conjunction with turn a deaf ear. ==== Related terms ==== close one's eyes, shut one's eyes there are none so blind as those who will not see willful blindness ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== willful ignorance 🙊🙉🙈 (“see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”) === References === === Further reading === turning a blind eye on Wikipedia.Wikipedia Christine Ammer (2001), “turn a blind eye”, in Linda Butler, Julia Penelope, editors, American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms for Students of English, Houghton Mifflin Company, →ISBN, page 391, column 2.