Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. sleep, rest.

1893		St. Nicholas XX:1 314: The children of the Elementary Department go to the ‘Land of Shut-eye’ at about half-past seven.
1899		Navy and Army Illus. 9 Dec. 307: The remainder of the dinner hour [...] is spent in smoking and perhaps dozing (a little shut-eye) [OED].
1919		W.H. Downing Digger Dialects 45: shut-eye — Sleep.
1929		J.B. Priestley Good Companions 113: I could do with a bit of shut-eye and a drink.
1930		K. Brush Young Man of Manhattan 259: I’m going home [...] aren’t you? And grab about ten good hours of shut-eye?
1930		L. Lower Here’s Luck 98: ‘Suppose we’d better hit the kapok [...] snatch a stretch of shut-eye, somnolosa, go to sleep ’.
1940		N.Y. Herald Trib. 17 July 38/2: [advert] [...] But definitely!; scram!; Corny; Shut-eye; check!; In the groove; goof; okie-dokie!
1940		S. Longstreet Decade 96: Sorry to barge off, Charlie, but must get some shut-eye.
1949		W.R. Burnett Asphalt Jungle in Four Novels (1984) 155: I’m going to get some shut-eye.
1950		(con. 1936–46) K.S. Prichard Winged Seeds (1984) 168: Charley was all in – fell off his horse and there was no getting a kick out of him till he’d had a bit of shut-eye.
1956		‘Charles Raven’ Und. Nights 12: Now perhaps they’ll settle down for some shut-eye.
1959		F. Norman Fings I i: Well, that’s a good night’s work. I’m off to get some shut-eye.
1963–74		B. Humphries Barry McKenzie [comic strip] in Complete Barry McKenzie (1988) 74: Go and get some shut-eye Bazza.
1966		M. Rumaker Exit 3 and Other Stories 27: You lay back and get some shuteye riding home.
1967		J. Wynnum I’m a Jack, All Right 30: I might as well lie down [...] and catch an hour’s shut-eye.
1970		E. Thompson Garden of Sand (1981) 318: Let me get some shuteye.
1973		Clement & La Frenais ‘Prisoner and Escort’ Porridge [TV script] You get your feet up, my old son. Get a decent bit of shut-eye.
1979		F. Norman Too Many Crooks Spoil the Caper 39: All career girls ever think about is getting eight hours’ shut-eye.
1983		S. Gee Never in My Lifetime in Best Radio Plays (1984) 51: Thirteen thousand, seven hundred and twenty-three seconds left ’til I can get some shut-eye.
1991		B. Hamper Rivethead (1992) 61: Having been up since sunrise, Dale was a very eager candidate for some shuteye.
1999		Indep. on Sun. Travel 18 July 10: Only then is it time for some shut-eye.
2001		S. King Dreamcatcher 68: You’re tired out [...] You just need some shuteye.
2005		‘Gut Feeling’ at coldbloodedgames.typepad.com 8 May 🌐 Plan is to cut a hole in the fence at around three when the pair are getting some shut eye.
2012		Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 1 May 🌐 10 reasons why a good night’s shut eye will set you up for a brighter day.
2013		F. Bill Donnybrook [ebook] Tig took his shut-eye [...] at Alonzo’s place.
2020		D. Whish-Wilson Shore Leave 95: All Devon had to do was get through it and secure some shut-eye.

2. (US) a clairvoyant.

1914

Eve. World (NY) 29 July 16/4: All the fake fortune tellers [...] from shut-eyes or clairvoyants to ‘mitt readers’ or palmists —are credulous and superstitious.

3. (US tramp) a victim, a dupe.

1921

P. & T. Casey Gay-cat 304: Sucker, Shut-Eye, Green Pea, Fall Guy—an easy victim.