believe one's eyes

English

Alternative forms

• believe one's own eyes

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Verb

believe one's eyes (third-person singular simple present believes one's eyes, present participle believing one's eyes, simple past and past participle believed one's eyes)

1. (idiomatic, chiefly in the negative) To believe that something which one directly sees is truly the case.
   • 1884, Edward Payson Roe, chapter 59, in Nature's Serial Story:

     [H]e could scarcely believe his eyes as she appeared on the floor unsurpassed in beauty and grace, her favor sought by all. Was that the simple girl who […] had leaned against his shoulder?

   • 1914, Zane Grey, chapter 3, in Light of the Western Stars:

     She was so amazed at the change in him that she could not believe her eyes.

   • 2004 July 5, “Charisteas: We are the Best in Europe”, in Sofia News Agency, Bulgaria, retrieved 27 August 2013:

     Millions of Greeks worldwide erupted in joyful celebration, hardly believing their eyes after Greece beat hosts Portugal in the Euro 2004 finals.

Usage notes

• Usually used in the negative form, such as with cannot, hardly, and scarcely.

Translations

to believe that something which one directly sees is truly the case

• Finnish: uskoa silmiään
• French: en croire ses yeux
• Hungarian: hisz a szemének
• Norwegian: tro sine egne øyne
• Polish: wierzyć własnym oczom
• Spanish: dar crédito (es)
• Swedish: tro sina ögon

See also

• believe one's ears