An archaic or poetic plural form of 'eye,' used in older English literature and poetry instead of the modern 'eyes.'
From Old English 'ēagan,' the plural form of 'ēge.' This form was standard in Middle English and remained common in poetry through the 16th century, gradually replaced by the modern 'eyes.'
When you read Shakespeare or Chaucer and see 'eyen,' you're reading the actual plural people used 500 years ago—languages naturally transform, and this is a beautiful frozen moment in English.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.