verb
Etymology: Middle English loken out, from looken, loken to look + out
intransitive verb
1. : to gaze from within something (as a building) to the outside : put one's head out of a window or similar aperture
looked out at the window
2. archaic : to venture out : make a brief excursion
3.
a. : to be on the lookout or the watch (as against some danger) : exercise vigilance : be on guard
there's danger ahead. Look out
— often used with following for
the good sailor will look out for shoals
b. : to watch diligently (as for a person) : gaze about in search : be on the alert (as for the presence of something) — used with following for
look out for some old andirons when you visit the antique shop
the mole-rats … which I had been urged to look out for and to collect — Douglas Carruthers
c. : to take care or be concerned with the welfare (as of a person) — used with following for
look out for the baby while I go shopping
the female looks out for the young
4. obsolete : to show itself : appear
the business of this man looks out of him — Shakespeare
5. : to have or provide an outlook
the little room which looks out on the … yew hedge — Patricia Wingfield
homes and churches looking out on the placid village green — Budd Schulberg
transitive verb
chiefly Britain : to search for or find by using the eyes : look up
I have some letters of his … I'll look them out — Clemence Dane
discover how few words I need to look out — O.W.Holmes †1935