The Origin of “Turn a Blind Eye”

The story goes back to the early 19th century, specifically to the British naval hero Admiral Horatio Nelson. During the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801, Nelson was second-in-command of a British fleet. He had lost sight in one eye earlier in his career, leaving him partially blind. During the battle, his superior, Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, signaled for Nelson to withdraw. According to the account, Nelson, known for his determination and aggression in battle, didn’t want to retreat. So, he held his telescope to his blind eye, claiming he couldn’t see the signal and continued to fight, ultimately leading his forces to victory.

This act of “turning a blind eye” became legendary and entered common usage to mean ignoring a directive or inconvenient fact intentionally.

The Idiom’s Evolution

Over time, the phrase has come to symbolize intentionally ignoring something rather than accidentally missing it. Today, people might “turn a blind eye” to things they find morally ambiguous, annoying, or too difficult to confront.

Example in Sentences

• The manager decided to turn a blind eye to the minor mistake since it didn’t affect the project overall.
• Sometimes, it’s easier to turn a blind eye to minor rule-breaking than to address every little issue.