Score

Again, Themes, I have nothing of my own to add, buy will keep a weather eye.

I see you added "Daisy Miller" -- thank you! (Also for keeping "a weather eye" ... haven't heard that expression in years, btw., but seem to come across it again repeatedly in recent times. Why is that, I wonder?)

Willard Scott used it a lot on NBC Today show. It's nautical, I guess, but not sure of specific meaning.

Yes, nautical sounds right -- tried to look it up, but so far have only been able to find definitions for the everyday use of the phrase, too.

I wasn't aware of the Willard Scott connotation ... that would explain why I heard a lot of Americans use it in the 1980s, though!

(FWIW, Mark Knopfler uses it in the lyrics of one of the songs on his latest CD -- that's what made me initially perk up because I hadn't heard it in years.)

Themis-Athena wrote: "Yes, nautical sounds right -- tried to look it up, but so far have only been able to find definitions for the everyday use of the phrase, too.

I wasn't aware of the Willard Scott connotation ... t..."

Dozens of Info-sites say it means "looking out for bad weather" (Well, Duhh !),

Additionally, I don't think they have it right. Skipper of a sailing vessel would normally have both eyes on his sails (for luffing) and his course, with an appreciation of the wind always in his mind. But with a warning s/he would indeed "keep a weather eye"....Not full attention, but a more than occasional glance continually checking to see if necessary to make preparations for approaching storm. Notice, it's always KEEP A weather eye. (Lecture ends, with apologies)

No apologies required (not as far as I am concerned, anyway) -- much to the contrary!

So, here's what Wikipedia and Merriam-Webster say:

Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language (2001):

weather eye, 1. sensitivity and alertness to signs of change in the weather. (Duh.) 2. a steady and astute watchfulness, esp. alertness to change. 3. keep one's or a weather eye open, to be on one's guard; be watchful: He kept a weather eye open for new political developments. (1830-40)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weather_Eye

Under "other uses" -- the main part of the article deals with the engine heating system named "Weather Eye" which I, for one, didn't even know existed:

"The phrase 'to keep a weather eye' on something, means to maintain a background awareness of something; to remain alert to changes without it occupying your full attention. The term is nautical, originating from seamanship."

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/keep_a_...

Verb

to keep a weather eye open

1. (intransitive, idiomatic) to maintain a background awareness of something; to remain alert to changes without it occupying your full attention.
2. (rare, obsolete) to be alert; to concentrate on a matter in hand.

Synonyms

* To keep half an eye on something
* keep one's wits about one

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Citatio... (Wiktionary citations page):

English citations of weather eye

An ability to predict short-term weather

* 1844, Unattributed, The Quaver; or Songster's pocket companion,

Murphy hath a weather eye,
He can tell whene'er he pleases,
If it will be wet or dry,
When 'twill thaw, and when it freezes.

* 2002, John Rousmaniere, After the Storm,

A simple rule is that white clouds indicate fair weather, black clouds bad. […:] A sharp weather eye also takes mental snapshots of clouds, the flight paths of birds, and the direction of waves and can tell more.

* 2005, Robert J. Armstrong, Getting Started in Powerboating,

But if you have a VHF, reception of the weather channels is built in, available any time at the push of a button - another reason to have a VHF aboard. Beyond that, you should work on developing a good weather eye (along with all your other seaman's tricks).

A device for monitoring the weather

* 1955, University of Michigan, Great Britain and the East,

the airliner's "weather eye" gave warning of a thunderstorm many miles […:]

* 1960, International Oceanographic Foundation, Sea Frontiers,

weather forecasting is represented by this completely automatic weather eye.

Keep a weather eye open
Maintain a background awareness of

* 1883, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island,

He had taken me aside one day and promised me a silver fourpenny on the first of every month if I would only keep my "weather-eye open for a seafaring man with one leg" and let him know the moment he appeared.

* 1921, Harold Stearns, America and the Young Intellectual,

Naturally the politicians keep a weather eye on the Irish vote, but the important thing which the cynics seem not to take into account is

* 1991, Drew Racine, Managing Technical Services in the 90's,

While historically it was necessary to keep a "weather eye" on when addition card cabinets would be needed in a given library, the manager now must focus that same "weather eye" on disk support space for the online system.

Concentrate or focus on

* 1849, William A. Ross, A Yacht Voyage to Norway, Denmark, and Sweden,(link)

"Keep your weather eye up, your Honour," exclaimed the cockswain from his commanding point to P---, who had not seen the advancing ducks; "keep your weather eye up. Here they come; here's provender, your Honour."

I love this list idea. Every time I come across a book with a woman in white I come back to this list and add it.

Why, thank you! :)