Jumpy eye

noun JUM-py EYE ˈdʒʌmpi aɪ

Also spelled jumpy-eye, eye jump, yeye a jump

A folk belief that a twitching eyelid is an omen. When your 'yeye a jump' (eye jumps/twitches), it foretells something — commonly that you are going to cry or receive bad news if one eye jumps, or see someone or get good news if the other. Which eye, and which side, is held to mean different things. One of the everyday Jamaican body omens read as messages of what's to come.

  • Mi yeye a jump — mi hope a nuh bad news.

    My eye is twitching — I hope it's not bad news.

  • When mi right eye jump, mi soon cry.

    When my right eye twitches, I'll soon cry.

  • Him eye a jump, him a go see somebody.

    His eye is twitching; he's going to see someone.

A folk belief; a twitching eyelid ('yeye a jump') foretells events. See [[itchy-palm]], [[ringing-ear]].

Folk omen: a twitching eyelid foretells crying/news/a visitor. See [[itchy-palm]], [[ringing-ear]].