eye-opener
/ˈaɪ əʊpənə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈaɪ əʊəpənər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈī-ˌō-pə-nər -ˌōp-nər/ (ame, mw)
eye-opener — noun
1. an event, fact, or experience that suddenly makes you see a subject, a person, o
an event, fact, or experience that suddenly makes you see a subject, a person, or the world in a different way
The shelter visit became an eye-opener for Nadia when she saw families sleeping in cars.
pattern: be an eye-opener for + person
Reading the hospital bill was a real eye-opener for Selim after his accident.
collocation: a real eye-opener
For Gabriel, the first parent-teacher meeting was an eye-opener about how anxious children felt.
Faisal called the unpaid internship a real eye-opener about class and money.
- wake-up call
usually harsher and suggests a warning that forces change
- revelation
more formal and more focused on new understanding itself
- reality check
usually negative and pulls someone back to practical facts
文法句型
be an eye-opener
an eye-opener for + person
an eye-opener about + topic
用法筆記
Usually appears in the pattern 'X was an eye-opener' for a visit, report, conversation, or experience that changes someone's view. It often takes 'for + person' or 'about + topic' after it.
常見錯誤
2. a drink, often a strong alcoholic one, taken early in the day to make you feel a
a drink, often a strong alcoholic one, taken early in the day to make you feel awake
Before the dawn shift, the fisherman swallowed an eye-opener from a tin cup.
typical scene: early morning drink before work
In the old novel, Grandpa kept an eye-opener beside the stove for winter mornings.
usage note: often old-fashioned storytelling context
The hunters joked that black coffee was safer than an eye-opener before sunrise.
At the roadside bar, Lara ordered an eye-opener before the six-hour bus ride.
- pick-me-up
broader and can be any food or drink that gives energy
- bracer
old-fashioned word for a strong drink taken to steady or revive you
文法句型
have an eye-opener
order an eye-opener
an eye-opener before + time/event
用法筆記
This sense is uncommon and often sounds old-fashioned or slightly humorous. It usually refers to strong alcohol taken in the morning, not to an ordinary cup of coffee or tea.