close eyes to
close (one's) eyes to (something)
To willfully ignore or overlook something. All parents want to believe their child is perfect, so many close their eyes to their child's wrongdoings or flaws on some level. Our boss would rather close his eyes to the truth than figure out how to keep the company from going bankrupt.
See also: close, eye
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
close one's eyes to something
and shut one's eyes to something1. Lit. to close one's eyes to avoid seeing something unpleasant. I had to close my eyes to the carnage about me. I couldn't bear to look.
2. Fig. to ignore something; to pretend that something is not happening. Maria simply shut her eyes to the bad morale in her department.
See also: close, eye
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
- close (one's) eyes to (something)
- close one's eyes to
- close your eyes to
- close (one's) ears to (someone or something)
- shut/close your eyes to something
- shut (one's) eyes to (something)
- shut eyes to
- shut your eyes to
- shut/close your ears to somebody/something
- shut (one's) ears to (someone or something)