I have my weather-eye open
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
I have my wits about me; I know what I am after. The weather-eye is towards the wind to forecast the weather.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “I have my weather-eye open” mean?
I have my wits about me; I know what I am after. The weather-eye is towards the wind to forecast the weather.
Is “I have my weather-eye open” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.