red eye
Definition
The meaning: Red eye is an adjective that refers to a flight that departs late at night and arrives the next morning, often leaving passengers tired or sleep-deprived.
La signification: L’adjectif anglais red eye désigne un vol de nuit, généralement entre 22 h et 5 h, qui peut provoquer de la fatigue à cause du manque de sommeil. Par exemple, un "red eye flight" est un vol de nuit entre deux villes éloignées.
Note: The term comes from the common side effect of having red, irritated eyes due to lack of sleep after such a flight. The noun is redeye: "I have to catch the redeye if I don't wanna miss the appointment."
Word Analysis
French synonyms
» Vol de nuit
» Vol à horaires extrêmes
» Voyage fatiguant
» Vol du soir au matin
A: Tu prends quel vol pour New York ?
B: J’ai un red eye, je pars à minuit.
English synonyms
» Overnight flight
» Late-night flight
» Midnight flight
» Sleepless journey
A: Are you rested?
B: Not really, I was on a red eye last night.
Dialogue
Nina: "You look exhausted!"
James: "Yeah, I just got off a red eye from San Francisco."
Etymology
Origin: The adjective red eye is derived from the physical symptom—bloodshot eyes—caused by travelling overnight without proper sleep. It emerged in the United States around the 1960s, especially to describe coast-to-coast flights.
Audience
The adjective "red eye" is commonly used in North American English, particularly in contexts involving air travel.
When to use: Use this term when referring to late-night or overnight flights, especially when discussing the inconvenience or fatigue they can cause. For example: "I took the red eye to save time, but I’m paying for it today. I'm knackered!"
Dictionary Meaning
The Free Dictionary says that it means "An overnight flight that arrives at its destination very early in the morning. Primarily heard in US." Here's a provided example of use:
"My original flight was cancelled, so I caught the redeye back to Philadelphia and got in at four in the morning."
News Snippet
"I felt a bit like a criminal as I landed in sweltering Maputo. Dressed like a yeti woman in scarves, gloves and a beanie, I’d slunk out of Cape Town at daybreak on a red-eye flight to Joburg en route to Mozambique, leaving my sodden boyfriend and miserable dog to deal with a leaking roof.
Read the full article at the Daily Maverick
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Common Idioms & Expressions Related to "Red-Eye"
Red-Eye Flight
A late-night flight that arrives the next morning, often leaving passengers sleep-deprived and tired.
Example: "I took a red-eye flight to Boston and went straight to work."
Burning the Midnight Oil
Staying up late working or studying, similar to the experience of flying overnight on a red-eye.
Example: "She was burning the midnight oil before catching the red-eye."
Night Owl
A person who functions well at night, often unfazed by the disruption of red-eye flights.
Example: "As a night owl, red-eye flights don’t bother me."
Sleep-Deprived
Lacking sleep — a common condition after taking a red-eye.
Example: "After that red-eye, I was totally sleep-deprived and needed coffee."
Jet Lag
The tiredness and confusion caused by flying across time zones, often worse after red-eyes.
Example: "The red-eye left me with brutal jet lag."
Power Nap
A short, refreshing sleep often taken after a red-eye to recover energy.
Example: "He took a power nap in the taxi after his red-eye flight."
Catch Some Z's
To sleep — something you definitely want to do after a red-eye.
Example: "I’ll catch some Z’s as soon as I land from this red-eye."
Running on Fumes
Operating with very little energy or sleep, often the result of flying overnight.
Example: "After my red-eye, I was running on fumes all day at the conference."
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