see eye to eye
idiom

- if two people see eye to eye, they agree with each other

Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

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ORIGIN

While many idioms are relatively new, the origin of ‘see eye to eye’ is much older. It’s taken from a biblical passage, Isaiah chapter 52 verse 8 of the King James Version: “for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion”, which here means to meet face-to-face, or in person.

Today, the idiom means to agree with someone,… the idea is that one’s eyes are on exactly the same level as the other person’s eyes.

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History is full of famous people who never saw eye to eye and many are the quotes attributed to Winston Churchill who never hesitated to let his feelings be known, especially about other politicians:

“I wish Stanley Baldwin no ill, but it would have been much better if he had never lived.”

“He looks like a female llama who has been surprised in the bath.” (of Charles De Gaulle)

“He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire.” (of Sir Stafford Cripps)

“He has the gift of compressing the largest amount of words into the smallest amount of thoughts.” (of Ramsey MacDonald)

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SYNONYMS

to be of the same mind, to be on the same wavelength, to be in harmony, to concur, to be in tune, to be in concert, to be en rapport with, to see things the same way, be in accordance with

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Practice OWAD in an English conversation, say something like:

“Hey Jim, let's agree to disagree on this point. If we both saw EYE TO EYE, one of us would be unnecessary.”

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Paul Smith