a private eye
private eye
slang A private investigator or detective. "Eye" is a pun on the letter "i" in "investigator." The disgraced police detective moved to another state and started a business as a private eye. It turned out they'd hired a private eye to keep tabs on her after she left the law firm.
See also: eye, private
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
a ˌprivate ˈeye
(informal) a detective who is not in the police, but who can be employed to find out information, find a missing person, follow somebody, etc: They hired a private eye to look for more evidence.See also: eye, private
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
- private eye
- gumshoe
- hawkshaw
- shammus
- shamus
- catch at
- catch at (something)
- a mile off
- a mile away