/ geɪz; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
[ v + adv. / prep. ] to look steadily at sb/sth for a long time, either because you are very interested or surprised, or because you are thinking of sth else
SYN stare :
She gazed at him in amazement.
He sat for hours just gazing into space .
➡ note at stare
■ noun
[ usually sing. ] a long steady look at sb/sth :
He met her gaze (= looked at her while she looked at him) .
She dropped her gaze (= stopped looking) .
➡ note at look
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : perhaps related to obsolete gaw to gaze, from Old Norse gá heed.