get one's eye in

present singular third person gets one's eye in · participle present getting one's eye in · participle past got one's eye in · past got one's eye in

1. UKhobbiesTo become accustomed to the playing conditions, and thus bring one's hand-eye coordination to a reasonable level.
2. UKTo develop a perceptual skill, especially visual.

   He felt elated. Till now he had been living too much in the past, he decided. Time to get my eye in again.

   1974, John Le Carré, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, page 95

   5 more examples

   Having thus got my "eye in" for Bledii, numerous casts in my drive and garden footpaths were explored, and turned out to be those of B. opacus

   1881, The Entomologist's monthly magazine, page 163

   To know fiddles and judge them you must be always looking at them. For a time, at least, I got my eye in by dwelling on the best models.

   1898, Hugh Reginald Haweis, My musical life, page 217

   Why, I myself, old hand as I am, after being away for some months about town, or looking at other things, can't get my eye in and down to it for two or three days; then it kind of comes natural.

   1899, Arthur Lakes, Prospecting for Gold and Silver in North America, page 259

   Roberto then took three swings, but did not move his legs or hips, just the arms and wrists-he was merely getting his eye in.

   1973 March, Baseball Digest, volume 32, number 3, page 20

   She had now got her eye in. A 10000-ton tanker heading for Tunisia with powerful escort got no farther than the north coast of Sicily.

   1997, His Majesty's Submarines, page 53