What Does See Eye to Eye Mean?

See Eye to Eye Meaning

Definition: To agree with someone; to share the same opinion as someone.

Origin of See Eye to Eye

The allusion of seeing things the same first occurred in the Bible, specifically in the book of Isaiah.

The King James version reads,

• Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion. –Isaiah 52:8

Over two thousand years later, the phrase eyeball-to-eyeball was coined, which meant face-to-face. This originated in the Korean War, where it meant face-to-face with the enemy.,

Examples of See Eye to Eye

Here is an example that involves two college students discussing the best way to throw a party.

Robin: I think we need to buy a keg and sneak it onto campus and into our dorm.

Harry: That’s against the rules! Alcohol isn’t allowed on this campus. And it especially isn’t allowed for us, since we’re not of legal drinking age yet.

Robin: I know that, but we won’t get caught.

Harry: There’s no way to know that for sure.

Robin: Fine, we might get caught, but it would be worth it for the epic party!

Harry: That’s where you and I don’t see eye to eye. In my opinion, it is not worth throwing away all my hard work this semester just for a stupid party.

In this dialogue, two coworkers are discussing how to present their project.

Mal: I think that you are the better public speaker. If you’re comfortable with it, you can do most or all of the actual presenting. I have a lot of experience making PowerPoint presentations, so I can do most of the work there. Does that seem fair to you?

Xiomara: Yes, completely fair! I’m glad we see eye to eye on this issue.

More Examples

This excerpt is about sharing with neighbors during Ramadan.

• “It’s a tradition in Islam to open your home and invite your neighbors, even if you don’t see eye to eye with them,” she said. “It’s one of the ways we can heal together and feel empowered together.” –OC Register

This excerpt is about football players who are working to express their views together.

• “We are a very diverse group, much like our country as a whole. So we may not see eye to eye on everything, but we will be a team undivided. We will play to win and represent Jacksonville with honor, and we are committed to furthering the conversation and taking action to effect positive change.” –Houston Chronicle

Summary

The phrase see eye to eye originally meant to see face-to-face but now means to share a common viewpoint.