Meanings
present singular third person sleeps with one eye open · participle present sleeping with one eye open · participle past slept with one eye open · past slept with one eye open
- figurativelyTo remain vigilant at all times, especially by remaining partially awake or sleeping only lightly so as to avoid being caught off guard.
Sleep with one eye open You have no idea what I'm capable of Keep claiming holier than thou My knife can stab more holes than you can count How dare you sleep where a king once slept And dry the tears of where his queen has wept
2019, “Brimstone”, in Phil Bozeman (lyrics), The Valley (Deathcore), performed by Whitechapel
Origin
Some animals sleep with one eye open, so as to remain alert to threats.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish nukkua toinen silmä auki
- nukkua toinen silmä aukiTranslations
French ne dormir que d'un œil
- ne dormir que d'un œilTranslations
Hindi एक आँख खोलकर सोना
- एक आँख खोलकर सोना (ek ā̃kh kholkar sonā)Translations
Persian با یک چشم باز خوابیدن
- با یک چشم باز خوابیدن (bâ yek češm bâz xâbidan)Translations
Polish spać z jednym okiem otwartym
- spać z jednym okiem otwartymTranslations
Portuguese dormir com um olho aberto
- dormir com um olho abertoTranslations
Spanish dormir con un ojo abierto
- dormir con un ojo abiertoTranslations
Cite this entry
sleep with one eye open. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sleep%20with%20one%20eye%20open
“sleep with one eye open.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sleep%20with%20one%20eye%20open. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sleep with one eye open,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sleep%20with%20one%20eye%20open.
Source: sleep with one eye open on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.