[f. EYE sb.1 + LID.] One of the lids or covers of the eye, distinguished as upper and lower; one of the movable folds of skin with which an animal covers or uncovers the eye at pleasure.
a. 1240. Sawles Warde, in Cott. Hom., 265. Swifte as þe sunne gleam þe sc[heot from est into west, ase þin] ehe-lid tuneð ant openeð.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 19788 (Cott.). Wit þis sco lifted hir eien lidd.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. viii. (1495), 114. A foure foted beeste wythout eye lyddes is feble of syghte.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 74. His ee ledis asken reson of men.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, A ij b. Put it thorow the ouer igh lid and so of that other.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., III. i. 7. O Sleepe, O gentle Sleepe, how haue I frighted thee That thou no more wilt weigh mine eye-lids downe.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 870. Those that are Pore-blinde … doe much gather the Eye-lids together.
1690. Locke, Hum. Und., II. ix. § 10 (1695), 68. How frequently do we, in a day, cover our Eyes with our Eye-lids, without perceiving that we are at all in the dark?
1752. Sir J. Hill, Hist. Anim., 535. The eyes [of the Simia] … have an upper and under eye-lid, exactly as in our own species.
1814. Scott, Ld. of Isles, VI. xv. The eyelid scarce had time to wink.
1855. Bain, Senses & Int., I. i. § 18. 50. Touching the edge or inner surface of the upper eye-lid.
Comb. 1870. Rolleston, Anim. Life, 31. The eyelid-like valve which guards the entrance of the great veins.
fig. 1382. Wyclif, Job xli. 9. His eȝen as eȝelidis of the morntid.
1637. Milton, Lycidas, 25. Under the opening eyelids of the Morn We drove afield.
1647. H. More, Song of Soul, II. iii. I. xxv. Gilded clouds Arching an eyelid for the glowing Morn.
1862. B. Taylor, Poets Jrnl., Mystic Summer. And sweeter eyelids has the Day.
b. Phrases. † To hang (a thing) by the eyelids: to keep in suspense. To hang by the eyelids: to have a very slight hold, be in a dangerous position.
1659. Burton’s Diary (1828), IV. 354. I would fain have things at an end, and not hang them by the eyelids thus.
1778. Gouv. Morris, in Sparks, Life & Writ. (1832), I. 177. General Lee’s affair hangs by the eyelids.
1877. J. T. Fields, Underbrush (1881), 11. A magic quarto … with one of the covers hanging by the eyelids.
