Meaning
To keep an eye on something is to watch it, check it from time to time, and make sure nothing bad happens. You keep an eye on a bag in a café, a pot on the stove, a child at the park, or the numbers in a report. The picture is that you leave one of your eyes on it while the rest of you does other things. That's the key: it's light, ongoing attention, not staring.
It is neutral and works everywhere, from favors between strangers to meetings. "Would you mind keeping an eye on my laptop for a minute?" is a polite, normal request in a library. At work, "Let's keep an eye on it" means "it's not a problem yet, but we'll watch it." A stronger version, "keep a close eye on", means watch carefully, usually because there's a risk.
In a conversation
- Li Na
- Harry
- Li Na
- Harry
- Li Na
- Harry
Say it out loud
Tap a sentence to hear it. Say it after the voice.
Check yourself
Practice · 3 min
Listen, then repeat. "Keep an eye on" links together: "kee-pa-NEYE-on". The stress lands on "eye".
Say it today
Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.