[as.pect] n [ME, fr. L aspectus, fr. aspicere to look at, fr. ad- + specere to look--more at spy] (14c) 1 a: the position of planets or stars with respect to one another held by astrologers to influence human affairs; also: the apparent position (as conjunction) of a body in the solar system with respect to the sun b: a position facing a particular direction: exposure "the house has a southern ~" c: the manner of presentation of a plane to a fluid through which it is moving or to a current
2. a (1): appearance to the eye or mind (2): a particular appearance of countenance: mien b: a particular status or phase in which something appears or may be regarded "studied every ~ of the question" 3 archaic: an act of looking: gaze
4. a: the nature of the action of a verb as to its beginning, duration, completion, or repetition and without reference to its position in time b: a set of inflected verb forms that indicate aspect -- as.pec.tu.al adj