INDEX:
1. to see someone or something
2. to be able to see something, but with difficulty
3. when something happens in a place where everyone can see
4. something that you see
5. when something can be seen
6. when something cannot be seen or is difficult to see
7. something you think you see that is not really there
8. something you can see through
9. something you cannot see through
10. when something makes you unable to see
11. unable to see
12. unable to see very well
13. the ability to see
RELATED WORDS
to understand something : ↑ UNDERSTAND/NOT UNDERSTAND
see also
↑ WATCH
↑ LOOK
↑ NOTICE/NOT NOTICE
↑ CLEAR/NOT CLEAR
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1. to see someone or something
▷ see /siː/ [transitive verb not in progressive]
▪ I saw your brother in town this morning.
▪ Have you seen my pen anywhere?
▪ If you see either of these men, inform the police immediately.
▪ Did you see a white van parked out here earlier today?
▪ When did you last see your dog?
see somebody doing something
▪ I saw Matt coming out of the cinema with Jane.
▪ I first saw her feeding the ducks in the park.
see somebody do something
▪ She saw him get into a Porsche driven by a dark-haired woman.
▪ I didn’t see her arrive because I had my back turned.
see who/what/where etc
▪ It was too dark for her to see who the woman was.
▪ Have you seen what Jake’s done to his bedroom?
can see somebody/something
▪ Shh! I can see someone moving in the bushes.
see something with your own eyes
see something or someone yourself, especially something strange or surprising
▪ ‘How do you know it’s true?’ ‘Because I saw it with my own eyes!’
▷ catch sight of/catch a glimpse of /ˌkætʃ ˈsaɪt ɒv, ˌkætʃ ə ˈglɪmps ɒv/ [verb phrase] especially written
to see someone or something for only a very short time, and not very clearly :
▪ Rick caught sight of the driver’s face as the car raced by.
▪ Lynn caught a brief glimpse of herself in the mirror.
▷ spot /spɒtǁspɑːt/ [transitive verb not in progressive]
to suddenly see someone or something that you have been looking for, or something interesting or unusual :
▪ A resident spotted a man sitting in his car watching the explosion and notified the police.
▪ He was spotted in the Manhattan area in mid-May.
▪ I spotted this article about it in the paper.
▷ set eyes on also clap eyes on British /ˌset ˈaɪz ɒn, ˌklæp ˈaɪz ɒn/ [verb phrase]
to see someone or something -- use this either when talking about the time when you first saw them, or when saying strongly that you have never seen them or never want to see them again :
▪ This was the woman he was going to marry -- he knew it the moment he set eyes on her.
▪ I’d never clapped eyes on the guy before in my life.
▪ I hoped we would never set eyes on one another again.
▷ witness /ˈwɪtnɪs, ˈwɪtnəs/ [transitive verb]
to see something happen, especially an accident, a crime, or an important event :
▪ Police are appealing for information from anyone who witnessed the attack.
▪ The crash was witnessed by millions of viewers who were watching the race on TV.
witness [countable noun]
▪ In court, a witness said he had seen O'Grady punch the woman in the face.
witness to
▪ Police are appealing for witnesses to an arson attack on an apartment block.
▷ sight /saɪt/ [transitive verb not in progressive] especially written
to suddenly see something or someone from a long distance, especially when you have been looking for a long time :
▪ The missing boys were sighted by a rescue helicopter.
▪ At least ten birds have been sighted feeding on the lake this year.
▪ We sighted a fishing boat in the distance.
sighting [countable noun]
sight of
▪ No further sightings of the fur seal were reported until the early 90s.
the first sighting
when something is seen for the first time
▪ the first sighting of Halley’s Comet
▷ get a look (at) /ˌget ə ˈlʊk (æt)/ [verb phrase]
to be able to see someone or something clearly, even though you see them for only a very short time :
get a good/proper look (at)
▪ Hold it up to the light so I can get a proper look at it.
▪ I don’t think I could identify him. I didn’t really get a good look.
get a better look (at)
▪ She stood on her toes to get a better look.
get a close look (at)
▪ I didn’t get a close look at the driver, but I think he was middle-aged.
▪ We drove into the prohibited zone, to get a closer look.
▷ see first hand also see at first hand British /ˌsiː fɜːʳst ˈhænd, ˌsiː ət fɜːʳst ˈhænd/ [verb phrase]
if you see first hand something that is happening, you see it yourself, rather than being told about it by someone else :
▪ Travelling in rural Thailand, I saw first hand the devastating effects of economic reform.
▪ Central News has been to South America to see at first hand the lives that Oxfam hopes to improve.
2. to be able to see something, but with difficulty
▷ make out /ˌmeɪk ˈaʊt/ [transitive phrasal verb not in progressive]
to see someone or something, but only with difficulty :
make out something
▪ Among the trees below, he could make out a yellow pick-up truck.
▪ I could just make out Murphy in the bed next to mine.
make it out
▪ Some crystals are so small, a microscope is needed to make them out.
make out what/where/who
▪ It was difficult to make out where the rocks ended and the sea began.
▪ At first, I couldn’t make out what I was seeing.
▷ distinguish /dɪˈstɪŋgwɪʃ/ [transitive verb not in progressive] formal
to see the shape of someone or something with difficulty :
▪ The room was too dimly lit for me to distinguish anything clearly.
▪ It was just possible to distinguish the darkened village below.
3. when something happens in a place where everyone can see
▷ in full view of /ɪn ˌfʊl ˈvjuː ɒv/ [preposition]
if someone does something, especially something unpleasant or shocking, in full view of a group of people, they do it in a place where people can see it clearly :
▪ The muggers stole his mobile and wallet in full view of a crowd of shoppers.
▪ He made an obscene gesture in full view of TV cameras.
▷ in front of /ɪn ˈfrʌnt ɒv/ [preposition]
if something happens in front of someone, it happens where they can see it, especially when it is shocking or unpleasant :
▪ The man was shot in front of his wife and three children.
▪ The waitress complained that her employer had humiliated her in front of customers.
right in front of somebody
use this to emphasize how shocking something is
▪ Mom grabbed my arm and scolded me, right in front of all my friends.
▷ before your (very) eyes /bɪˌfɔːʳ jɔːʳ (veri) ˈaɪz/ [adverb]
if something surprising or shocking happens before your eyes, it happens very close to you, so that you can see it clearly :
▪ Before our very eyes, he produced $50,000 out of his suitcase and offered to buy the house.
right before your eyes
▪ When you see someone murdered right before your eyes, you don’t forget it easily.
▷ in broad daylight /ɪn ˌbrɔːd ˈdeɪlaɪt/ [preposition]
if a crime or something shocking happens in broad daylight, it happens during the day in a public place where people can see it :
▪ He gunned down a man in broad daylight and got away.
▪ A woman was attacked in broad daylight, right in front of our office.
4. something that you see
▷ sight /saɪt/ [countable/uncountable noun]
something that you see, or when you see something :
▪ Sunrise over the Himalayas is a magnificent sight.
▪ It was a sight so awe-inspiring we could have stayed for hours.
the sight of something
when you see something
▪ I can’t stand the sight of blood.
at the sight of something
▪ Even Charles cheered up at the sight of the food.
(at) first sight
the first time you see someone or something
▪ When I met my husband, it was love at first sight.
▪ It was our first sight of land after 15 months at sea.
on sight
as soon as you see someone or something
▪ The superintendent issued orders to shoot looters and arsonists on sight.
a familiar/common sight
something that you often see
▪ Homeless kids are now a familiar sight on London’s streets.
a sorry sight
someone or something that makes you feel sad or sympathetic
▪ Gavin looked a sorry sight -- his jaw was broken, and he had a black eye.
quite a sight
used to emphasize how impressive, beautiful, funny etc something looks
▪ We looked at the huge crowd gathering below us. ‘It’s quite a sight, isn’t it?’
▷ view /vjuː/ [countable noun]
the area you can see from a window or place, especially when it is beautiful or when you are able to see something from a place :
▪ We lived in a town house, with a spectacular view of the East China Sea.
▪ Is it the superb views that bring you back here each year?
view of
▪ Edwina’s office was south-facing, with a view of the lake.
get/have a good view (of something)
be able to see all of it
▪ We had a good view of the firework display from Ron’s balcony.
provide/afford/offer a view
to have very good views -- used especially in advertisements
▪ The hotel is situated on a hill, providing panoramic views of the city.
▪ The open-air terrace affords unparalleled views of the Big Apple.
a room/apartment/office etc with a view
▪ We were very, very lucky to get an apartment with a view.
▪ Dan was delighted to get a room with breathtaking views of the Los Angeles basin.
▷ scene /siːn/ [countable noun]
what you see in a place -- used especially when you are describing a place where something unusual or shocking is happening :
▪ The village is a scene of devastation after the heavy rains.
▪ I had to laugh at the absurdity of the scene.
▪ Reporters described the horrific scenes which followed the bombing.
scene of
▪ There are scenes of confusion here as refugees pour out of the city.
▷ panorama /ˌpænəˈrɑːməǁ-ˈræmə/ [countable noun]
an impressive view of a very large area that stretches a long way across in front of you :
▪ At sunrise, they surveyed the vast panorama of snow-covered hills and mountains.
▪ The white limestone formed a dramatic panorama against the darkening sky.
panoramic /ˌpænəˈræmɪk◂/ [adjective]
panoramic view
▪ an apartment with panoramic views of the Hudson River
▷ spectacle /ˈspektək ə l/ [countable noun usually singular]
something that you see that is very surprising, strange, or shocking :
the spectacle of
▪ Visitors to London are often shocked by the spectacle of people begging in the streets.
a strange/bizarre/tragic etc spectacle
▪ The sight of European tourists dancing in grass skirts made a bizarre spectacle.
make a spectacle of yourself
to do something silly, surprising, or shocking when a lot of people can see you
▪ She knew she was making a spectacle of herself with her childish outburst, but she couldn’t seem to help herself.
▷ visual /ˈvɪʒuəl/ [adjective usually before noun]
designed to be seen or having a particular effect when seen :
▪ The movie is greatly enhanced by its stunning visual effects.
▪ Teachers have been using visual aids in the classroom for decades.
▪ Children learn to read by interpreting visual symbols.
visually [adverb]
▪ As well as being nutritious, food needs to be visually attractive.
▪ Use a variety of bright bold colors to make your design visually attractive.
5. when something can be seen
▷ visible /ˈvɪzɪb ə l, ˈvɪzəb ə l/ [adjective]
▪ Detectives found no visible signs of a struggle.
visible from/at/above etc
▪ The church tower is visible from the next village.
▪ Only the top of his head was visible above the water.
▪ A single headlight was suddenly visible far below them.
▪ Trim any visible fat before frying the meat.
clearly visible
▪ The bullet holes are still clearly visible in the walls.
barely/hardly/scarcely visible
▪ The marks are in faint gold, and hardly visible.
visible to the naked eye
visible without using special instruments to help you
▪ These stars are barely visible to the naked eye.
visibly [adverb]
visibly upset/moved/shaken etc
when you can see that someone is upset etc
▪ The Kings were visibly shaken when the judge passed sentence.
▪ The questions made her visibly nervous.
▷ visibility /ˌvɪzɪˈbɪləti, ˌvɪzəˈbɪləti/ [uncountable noun]
how far it is possible to see, especially when this is affected by weather conditions - used especially in weather reports :
▪ Fog has reduced visibility to under 20 metres.
good visibility
when the air is clear so you can see a long distance
▪ Conditions are perfect for the yacht race; there is a light wind and visibility is good.
poor/zero/low visibility
when it is difficult to see very far
▪ Poor visibility made skiing extremely hazardous.
▪ Most modern planes can land in zero visibility.
▷ in sight/within sight /ɪn ˈsaɪt, wɪðɪn ˈsaɪt/ [adverb]
if something or someone is in sight or within sight, you can see them from where you are :
▪ The only building in sight was a small wooden cabin.
▪ The boat was stopped by the US coastguard within sight of shore.
▪ It was a glorious summer day, with not a cloud in sight.
▪ It was late afternoon, and there wasn’t a soul in sight.
▪ Meredith looked around - there was no-one in sight.
▪ The taxi driver was still nowhere in sight.
come in/within sight of
to come close enough to a place to see it
▪ It was several hours before the three men came within sight of the city.
▷ show /ʃəʊ/ [intransitive verb]
if something shows, people can see it, especially when you do not want them to :
▪ Don’t worry about that mark - it won’t show.
▪ Your slip is showing, did you know?
▷ in view /ɪn ˈvjuː/ [adverb]
if something or someone is in view, they can be seen from where you are and are not hidden by anything :
▪ David pulled the blankets up so only the top of his head remained in view.
▪ There were no buildings in view to suggest the presence of any humans.
keep somebody in view
▪ Place the child’s desk near the teacher’s, so that the child can keep the teacher in view.
▷ appear /əˈpɪəʳ/ [intransitive verb]
if someone or something appears, you begin to see them or you suddenly see them :
▪ The stars appeared one by one in the sky.
appear at/in/on etc
▪ At that moment, Kenny appeared in the doorway.
▪ I heard a tap, and Lila’s face appeared at the window.
▪ A drop-down menu appeared on the screen, and I clicked ‘Format’.
appear from behind/under etc
▪ A man suddenly appeared from behind the bushes.
appear (as if) from nowhere
appear suddenly, without any warning
▪ Just then, Gillian appeared as if from nowhere.
▪ A gray sedan appeared from nowhere in the fast lane.
▷ come into sight/come into view /ˌkʌm ɪntə ˈsaɪt, ˌkʌm ɪntə ˈvjuː/ [verb phrase]
if someone or something comes into sight, they move into a position where you can see them :
▪ The crowd cheered as the President’s motorcade came into sight.
▪ I heard the splash of oars, and a rowing boat came into view.
6. when something cannot be seen or is difficult to see
▷ invisible /ɪnˈvɪzɪb ə l, ɪnˈvɪzəb ə l/ [adjective]
if something is invisible, it cannot be seen :
▪ The gas is invisible but highly dangerous.
▪ Word Perfect uses invisible codes for many different functions.
▪ He nodded toward the distant ship, invisible in the darkness.
invisible to the naked eye
invisible without using special instruments to help you
▪ The space probe can photograph parts of the electronic spectrum that are invisible to the naked eye.
▷ out of sight /ˌaʊt əv ˈsaɪt/ [adverb]
if someone or something is out of sight, you cannot see them, for example because they are too far away or they are behind something else :
▪ Jim waited until his parents’ car was out of sight and then left the house.
▪ It’s best to keep your purse out of sight in this office.
drop/pass out of sight
move to a position where you cannot be seen
▪ We both quickly dropped out of sight behind the desk.
▪ The car passed out of sight over the hill.
out of sight of
▪ He would punch and kick me as soon as we were out of sight of the teachers.
▷ lose sight of /ˌluːz ˈsaɪt ɒv/ [verb phrase]
to no longer be able to see someone or something because they have moved too far away from you, especially when you are chasing them :
▪ Police lost sight of the man when he ran into a crowd of people.
▪ They gave up the chase, losing sight of the car as it turned the corner.
▷ dim /dɪm/ [adjective usually before noun]
dim shape/outline/figure etc
one that is difficult to see because it is too far away or because there is not enough light :
▪ He saw the dim outline of the taxi-driver’s head inside the cab.
▪ There was enough starlight coming in the window to make out the dim shapes of bunkbeds and rucksacks.
dimly [adverb]
▪ The distant coastline was dimly outlined against the evening sky.
▷ indistinct /ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋkt◂/ [adjective]
something that is indistinct is difficult to see because its edges are unclear or it is very small :
▪ Even with the binoculars, I could barely make out the indistinct shapes gliding through the water.
▪ All the police have to go on is a grainy, indistinct video clip.
▷ blind spot /ˈblaɪnd spɒtǁ-spɑːt/ [noun phrase]
part of a place that is within the area that you can see, but that you cannot see properly or easily :
▪ His son walked into his blind spot just as he was reversing the car.
▪ The recent escapes have prompted prison officers to install video camera surveillance of the blind spot.
7. something you think you see that is not really there
▷ hallucination /həˌluːsɪˈneɪʃ ə n, həˌluːsəˈneɪʃ ə n/ [countable noun]
an experience of seeing something which is not really there, for example because you have been taking drugs or because you are ill :
suffer/have hallucinations
▪ I suffered horrendous hallucinations and flashbacks, and quit using LSD.
▪ In tests, the drug caused patients to have hallucinations.
▷ illusion /ɪˈluːʒ ə n/ [countable noun]
something that you imagine you can see, that is either not there at all, or is actually something else :
▪ The road appears to get narrower as you look into the distance, but it’s just an illusion.
give/create an illusion of something
▪ It’s a small room, but the mirrors create an illusion of space.
▪ She isn’t particularly tall, but her upright posture gives an illusion of height.
▷ mirage /ˈmɪrɑːʒǁmɪˈrɑːʒ, ˈmɪrɑːʒǁməˈrɑːʒ/ [countable noun]
something, especially an area of water in a desert, that you think you can see in the distance but which is not really there, caused by hot air conditions :
▪ She thought at first it must be the edge of the sea, then realised it was a mirage.
▪ an eerie no-man’s land where travellers see mirages
▷ vision /ˈvɪʒ ə n/ [countable noun]
something that you imagine you can see, especially as part of a strong religious experience :
▪ In her vision, Joan of Arc saw an angel telling her to go and fight for France.
vision of
▪ Three days before she died, Rita was blessed with a vision of Our Lord.
have visions
▪ Many people claim to have had visions while praying at Lourdes.
▷ be seeing things /biː ˈsiːɪŋ θɪŋz/ [verb phrase] spoken
to imagine that you are seeing something that is not there - use this especially to say that you are so surprised at something that you see that you almost cannot believe it :
▪ I thought I saw Patty arrive. I must be seeing things today.
8. something you can see through
▷ clear /klɪəʳ/ [adjective]
if water, air, or glass is clear, you can easily see through it :
▪ The lake was so clear you could see the plants on the bottom.
▪ On a clear day, you can see Mount Fuji from Tokyo.
▪ I only realised later that the clear liquid in the glass must have been vodka.
crystal-clear
use this to emphasize how clear something is
▪ The water was crystal-clear, edged by sparkling white sand.
▷ transparent /trænˈspærənt, -ˈspe ə r-/ [adjective]
use this about objects or materials that you can see through :
▪ The box has a transparent plastic lid so you can see what’s inside.
▪ The boy’s arms and hands were so thin they seemed almost transparent.
▷ see-through /ˈsiː θruː/ [adjective usually before noun]
see-through clothes are made of thin material that you can see through :
▪ a see-through blouse
▪ She posed for ‘Vogue’ in a see-through black teddy.
9. something you cannot see through
▷ opaque /əʊˈpeɪk/ [adjective]
▪ As the liquid cools it becomes cloudy and opaque.
▪ Keep herbs and spices in opaque glass bottles to protect them from sunlight.
▷ frosted /ˈfrɒstɪd, ˈfrɒstədǁˈfrɔː-/ [adjective]
glass that is frosted is fairly thick and with an uneven surface that is difficult or impossible to see through :
▪ Two frosted glass doors opened into an elegant lobby.
▪ Alice took another long drink from the tall frosted glass.
▪ The frosted windows let in a weak light.
10. when something makes you unable to see
▷ blind /blaɪnd/ [transitive verb]
if a light blinds you, it is so bright that you cannot look into it and it makes you unable to see for a few moments afterwards :
▪ Onlookers were blinded by the flash of the explosion.
▪ She adjusted the mirror to avoid being blinded by the glare.
▪ The floodlight had blinded him and he couldn’t see to reload his gun.
blinding [adjective]
▪ The light was blinding, and she covered her face.
▪ The first bomb exploded with a blinding flash.
▷ dazzle /ˈdæz ə l/ [transitive verb]
if a very bright light dazzles you, it is so strong that you cannot see anything else, especially when this may have dangerous results :
▪ If you are dazzled by oncoming traffic, slow down and look for a place to stop.
▪ She slowly opened her eyes, only to be dazzled by a strong shaft of sunlight.
▪ I moved aside so that the light no longer dazzled me.
dazzling [adjective]
▪ The brightness of the sunlight was dazzling after so long in the gloom.
11. unable to see
▷ blind /blaɪnd/ [adjective]
someone who is blind cannot see at all :
▪ Blake is now over 90, and almost blind.
▪ The operation left their son blind and brain-damaged.
▪ There’s a blind man who sells popcorn on the corner.
go blind
become blind
▪ Without treatment, the patient will go blind.
the blind
people who are blind
▪ a radio programme specially for the blind
blind [transitive verb often in passive]
to make someone unable to see, either for a short time or permanently :
▪ The crash happened after drivers were blinded by a mixture of fog and thick black smoke.
▪ A riding accident left her blinded in one eye.
blindness [uncountable noun]
▪ This tiny black fly is the biggest cause of blindness in Central Africa.
▷ can’t see /ˌkɑːnt ˈsiːǁˌkænt-/ [verb phrase] especially spoken
if you can’t see, you are unable to see things, either because there is something wrong with your sight, or because something is preventing you seeing clearly :
▪ He makes fun of me because I can’t see that well.
▪ It was pitch black and I couldn’t see.
▪ You can’t see from here, but they’re out there.
▪ That was the morning I got up, and I couldn’t see.
12. unable to see very well
▷ short-sighted /ˌʃɔːʳt ˈsaɪtə̇d◂/ [adjective]
unable to see things that are far away :
▪ ‘Are you short-sighted then?’ ‘Yeah, can’t see a thing without my lenses.’
▷ long-sighted British /far-sighted American /ˌlɒŋ ˈsaɪtə̇d◂ǁˌlɔːŋ-, ˌfɑːʳ ˈsaɪtə̇d◂/ [adjective]
only able to see things that are far away and unable to see things that are close to you such as the writing in a book :
▪ My daughter’s long-sighted and wears reading glasses.
▪ Many people become far-sighted as they grow older.
▷ partially sighted /ˌpɑːʳʃ ə li ˈsaɪtə̇d◂/ [adjective]
not able to see things very well at all, although not completely blind :
▪ Tape copies are available free of charge to blind and partially sighted people.
▪ I am partially sighted, which makes me a lot more vulnerable.
▷ visually impaired /ˌvɪʒuəli ɪmˈpeəʳd/ [adjective phrase]
completely blind or unable to see much - use this especially to talk about special services or equipment for this group of people :
▪ Instructions can also be obained in Braille for the visually impaired.
▪ Visually impaired people have as much right to full access to educational courses as anyone else.
▷ as blind as a bat /əz ˌblaɪnd əz ə ˈbæt/ [adverb] informal
having great difficulty in seeing things :
▪ Didn’t you see me coming? You must be as blind as a bat!
▪ She’s as blind as a bat without her glasses.
13. the ability to see
▷ sight /saɪt/ [uncountable noun]
the ability to see :
▪ There are five senses: sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch.
partial sight
when someone can only see a little
▪ ‘Has Peter got any sight at all now?’ ‘Only partial sight, in one eye.’
impaired sight
damaged
▪ Nicole has suffered since birth from impaired sight as a result of cerebral palsy.
lose your sight
become unable to see
▪ She lost her sight at the age of 12 following an illness.
▷ eyesight /ˈaɪsaɪt/ [uncountable noun]
the ability to see - use this to talk about how well or badly someone can see :
▪ My eyesight’s got a lot worse over the last few years.
▪ an eyesight test
good/bad eyesight
▪ You must have good eyesight. I can’t even make it out from here.
▷ vision /ˈvɪz ə n/ [uncountable noun]
the ability to see - use this especially about damage to someone’s sight or when someone’s sight is affected by an injury, by alcohol etc :
▪ When he woke up he had a splitting headache and his vision was blurred.
▪ When I have a migraine, I can’t stand up without vomiting and my vision is distorted.
have vision
be able to see
▪ My aunt still has some vision in her left eye - she can make out colours and shapes.
double vision
when you seem to see two of everything
▪ He complained that the new lenses gave him double vision and headaches.
20-20 vision
perfect vision
▪ Until she was eighteen she had 20-20 vision - now she has to wear glasses.
▷ can see /kən ˈsiː/ [verb phrase]
if you can see, you are able to see things, especially after you have been unable to :
▪ Thanks to a new operation, Ann can see for the first time in her life.
▪ Turn the light on so we can see!