eyelid

American

[ahy-lid] / ˈaɪˌlɪd /

noun

the movable lid of skin that serves to cover and uncover the eyeball.

eyelid British

/ ˈaɪˌlɪd /

noun

either of the two muscular folds of skin that can be moved to cover the exposed portion of the eyeball
Also called: clamshell. aeronautics a set of movable parts at the rear of a jet engine that redirect the exhaust flow to assist braking during landing

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of eyelid

Middle English word dating back to 1200–50; eye, lid

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Alyx had a soft, heart-shaped face, her eyelids and cheeks dusted with light makeup.

From Literature

My eyelids felt scratchy but my brain was still going about a thousand miles an hour, and I knew that sleeping wasn’t in the cards for the night.

From Literature

"In your cheeks or just underneath your eyelids, we'll be looking for changes in blood flow when a person is talking or presenting."

From BBC

His eyelids were freezing together, and soon they would be bound shut as ice pellets whipped his face from all directions.

From Literature

She would peel back my eyelids and look at my eyeballs, peer down in my ears, and punch around on me with her fingers.

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023