1. Home
2. Idioms
3. be one in the eye for

be one in the eye for

---

---

be one in the eye for

To be a disappointment or misfortune for someone. Typically used to describe how one is negatively impacted by someone else's actions. Primarily heard in UK, Australia. Jenny's success at her new company is one in the eye for her old boss. I'm your mother—of course your bad grades are one in the eye for me!

See also: eye, one

be one in the eye for somebody

  (British & Australian informal)

if something that someone does is one in the eye for someone else, it will annoy that person because they did not want it to happen or did not think it could happen When I got my degree, I thought, 'That's one in the eye for my old head teacher, who said I would never get anywhere.'

See also: eye, one