Idioms

eyeball to eyeball

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eyeball to eyeball

In direct contact; face to face or eye to eye. I had been trying to avoid my math teacher, but then I came eyeball to eyeball with her in the cafeteria. Only when I was eyeball to eyeball with Tim and we were screaming in each other's faces did I realize how much we needed to break up. Society is about to come eyeball to eyeball with a whole new set of problems brought on by technology.
See also: eyeball, to
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

eyeball-to-eyeball

Fig. face-to-face and often very close; in person. They approached each other eyeball-to-eyeball and frowned. Let's talk more when we are eyeball-to-eyeball.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

eyeball to eyeball

Face to face; especially, about to begin a conflict. For example, We are eyeball to eyeball with the enemy, or In the playoffs we go eyeball to eyeball with the Yankees, or In the first debate our candidate's going eyeball to eyeball with his opponent. This term was originally used only in a military context but later entered civilian language, particularly in political or sports confrontations. [Colloquial; c. 1950]
See also: eyeball, to
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

eyeball to eyeball

JOURNALISM
If two people are eyeball to eyeball, they are facing each other and are very close, usually while arguing or threatening each other. Stam went eyeball to eyeball with the linesman and can count himself lucky to have escaped a red card. Note: Eyeball-to-eyeball can also be used before a noun. It was a tough negotiation that led to eyeball-to-eyeball confrontations with union leaders.
See also: eyeball, to
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

eyeball to eyeball

face to face with someone, especially in an aggressive way.
See also: eyeball, to
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

ˌeyeball to ˈeyeball (with somebody)

(informal) standing very close, facing one another, for example in a fight: The two men stood eyeball to eyeball, shouting insults at each other.
See also: eyeball, to
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

eyeball to eyeball

mod. face to face. Let’s talk more when we are eyeball to eyeball.
See also: eyeball, to
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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References in periodicals archive
The eyeball to eyeball confrontation in Depsang Valley comes soon after the beheading of an Indian soldier on India's western front against Pakistan.
Pressure China to back off
As tension escalates near the line of actual control (LoAC) in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir over Chinese troops squatting on Indian territory, the armies of two countries were likely to make another attempt to avoid an eyeball to eyeball confrontation.
Ladakh stand-off: Indian Army, PLA to hold third flag meet on Friday
The Ayatollah probably thinks by going eyeball to eyeball with the US, he is going to win more than even Obama is prepared to give.
A nowhere man
So there it is: according to the supreme Soviet commander, just 50 years ago this month the world was mere minutes away from nuclear destruction, Kennedy and Khrushchev eyeball to eyeball in the deadliest game of chicken ever.
When the Cold War turned hot; DOWN MEMORY LANE
Just days later, a purple-faced 70-year-old Scotsman addicted to chewing gum was going eyeball to eyeball with a floppy-haired Italian almost half his age on a chilly night in Manchester in front of more than 47,000 people.
Elderly men living life on the edge
The problem here is that the rest of us were left with the impression that, as Dean Rusk described the resolution of the missile crisis, "we were eyeball to eyeball and the other side blinked"--when the truth was that both sides had blinked.
The worst thing JFK ever did
FLASHPOINT: Terry and Ferdinand go eyeball to eyeball in the confrontation that led to racism accusations.
I was called n**** I* and c**n and told I should be lynched; COLLYMORE JT fury brings sickening race storm down on our Stan
At the National SEA LIFE centre Birmingham you'll come eyeball to eyeball with everything from shrimps to sharks, and learn tons of great stuff from SEA LIFE experts.
Save pounds pounds s this Easter at Midlands attractions
The kids will enjoy discovering coming eyeball to eyeball with everything from shrimps to sharks and learn lots from the Sea Life experts.
5 things to do
After a first half where he had a player sent off and a penalty appeal turned down, Grant snapped and went eyeball to eyeball with Kevin Friend after marching onto the pitch to confront the referee.
Dindane boosts stormy Pompey
Ethan Fodor, 3, goes eyeball to eyeball with Gino, one of the puppet characters from "The Shoemaker and the Elves." After the performance, the puppeteers let audience members get an up-close look at the cast.
PUPPET POWER
NO LOVE LOST: Hopkins and Calzaghe go eyeball to eyeball
Hop and gory; US ACE TELLS JOE: I END CAREERS!
Filan ( he was in goal for Coventry City the day Les Ferdinand scored his first goal for United ( and Sibby were eyeball to eyeball at one stage.
Funny Filan after Gaul-ing defeat
Emailing and texting may be faster but better business is done eyeball to eyeball, according to a survey of Northern business leaders.
Forget email, meet face-to-face
The best one is where the parents are having an eyeball to eyeball confrontation and the kids say sadly, in unison, "Over ( tired".
Creator of car advert a genius
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