out of the corner of eye

out (of) the corner of (one's) eye

Of something seen, in one's periphery; partially and/or fleetingly, as opposed to fully and for an extended amount of time. Out the corner of my eye, I saw something moving in the bushes, and it turned out to be a stray cat. Sarah caught Tommy kissing Jessica out of the corner of her eye.

See also: corner, eye, of, out

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

out of the corner of one's eye

Fig. [seeing something] at a glance; glimpsing something, as with peripheral vision. I saw someone do it out of the corner of my eye. It might have been Jane who did it. I only saw the accident out of the corner of my eye. I don't know who is at fault.

See also: corner, eye, of, out

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.