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organica
Joined: 12 Feb 2006
Posts: 63
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 Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 3:49 am Post subject: a roving eye |
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| When we talk about someone with "a roving eye," why do they say eye as in sigular not "roving eyes." Don't we use two eyes to rove? |
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alan.es
Joined: 01 Mar 2006
Posts: 73
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| Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 7:11 am Post subject: |
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 I don't really know. It's just one of those expressions that has grown within the language.
Maybe, but just an idea, it's because if you say that someone has a roving eye, you mean that he has a tendency/inclination to look for opportunities to be a little naughty/flirtatious with other women other than his wife or girlfriend. It's not that he's looking to break his existing relationships but have a little interest elsewhere -
so he keeps one eye still on his present relationship but the other wanders arond a little looking for such opportunities. Hence one eye roves; the other remains fixed metaphorically speaking
It is a metaphorical idea not a literal one.  |
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