up to Idioms

Turn a blind eye

Altered photo of a part blind dog
The idiom turn a blind eye means choosing to ignore something that you know is wrong. You might see something wrong, but act as if you don't.

The phrase is often linked to a story about a naval officer who ignored a signal by putting a telescope to his blind eye. The image became a way to describe deliberate ignoring.

The manager turned a blind eye to the rule violations during the busy season.