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private eye

A private personal detective, employed to gather information about someone.

Etymology:

  • From private investigator and its abbreviation P.I., through the homophonic term eye in place of "I", and the use of "eye" as a reference to surveillance
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Submitted on September 01, 2009

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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to private eye

turn a blind eyeSee Eye to Eyenot in a pig's eyeroving eyestink eyemy eyemagic eyemy eyeMore than Meets the Eyethrow an eyeone eye lookin at a squirrel and the ot…private branch exchangekeep one's eye on the ballpublic eye

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