Averting one's attention with 目を離す
目を離す means “to take one’s eyes off” or “to look away”. It often warns that even a brief lapse in attention could cause trouble.
Usage Notes
It often appears in warnings and reminders when something could go wrong without close attention.
It often appears in the expressions 「ちょっと目を離したら〜」 (similar to English, “took my eyes off for one second”) and 「目を離したスキに〜」.
Dictionary Definition
注意している目をそらす。
To avert one's eyes from paying attention.
Goo Dictionary
Further Reading
- 目を離す｜慣用句 (edewakaru.com)
Examples
This happens as soon as I take my eyes off you with 目を離す
Idiom Explanation: Averting one's attention with 目を離す
During a trip on a train, Conan accidentally overhears that there is a bomb on the train, and it’s set to go off. Conan tries to follow the criminals as they disembark, but Ran stops him at the exit door.
- コナン:
- 「あーーー」
- “Ah...!”
- 蘭:
- 「もぉ！目を離すとすぐこれなんだから！」
- “Geez! As soon as I take my eyes off you, this happens!”
When I took my eyes off her for just a minute with 目を離す
Idiom Explanation: Averting one's attention with 目を離す
Satsuki leaves Sara, the young girl she’s watching, alone to go heat up lunch. When she returns with the food, Sara is nowhere to be found. Satsuki calls her sister to let her know what’s happened.
- 皐:
- 「それが… ちょっと目を離した隙に…」
- “The thing is, I took my eyes off her for a just a minute...”
- 「これから警察に連絡して探しに出るから…」
- “I'm going to call the police, then I'm heading out to look for her...”