/ lʊk; NAmE / verb , noun , exclamation
■ verb
USE EYES
1.
[ v ] look (at sb/sth) to turn your eyes in a particular direction :
If you look carefully you can just see our house from here.
She looked at me and smiled.
'Has the mail come yet?' 'I'll look and see .
Look! I'm sure that's Brad Pitt!
Don't look now, but there's someone staring at you!
—see also forward-looking
SEARCH
2.
[ v ] look (for sb/sth) to try to find sb/sth :
I can't find my book—I've looked everywhere.
Where have you been? We've been looking for you.
Are you still looking for a job?
PAY ATTENTION
3.
look (at sth) to pay attention to sth :
[ v ]
Look at the time! We're going to be late.
[ v wh- ]
Can't you look where you're going?
APPEAR / SEEM
4.
linking verb look (to sb) like sb/sth to seem; to appear :
[ v - adj ]
to look pale / happy / tired
That book looks interesting.
[ v ]
That looks like an interesting book.
[ v - n ]
That looks an interesting book.
You made me look a complete fool!
—see also good-looking
5.
[ v ] look (to sb) like sb/sth | look (to sb) as if ... / as though ... (not usually used in the progressive tenses) to have a similar appearance to sb/sth; to have an appearance that suggests that sth is true or will happen :
That photograph doesn't look like her at all.
It looks like rain (= it looks as if it's going to rain) .
You look as though you slept badly.
HELP NOTE : In spoken English people often use like instead of as if or as though in this meaning, especially in NAmE :
You look like you slept badly.
This is not considered correct in written BrE .
6.
[ v ] look (to sb) as if ... / as though ... | look (to sb) like ... to seem likely :
It doesn't look as if we'll be moving after all.
( informal )
It doesn't look like we'll be moving after all.
HELP NOTE : This use of like instead of as if or as though is not considered correct in written BrE .
FACE
7.
[ v + adv. / prep. ] to face a particular direction :
The house looks east.
The hotel looks out over the harbour.
•
IDIOMS
Most idioms containing look are at the entries for the nouns and adjectives in the idioms, for example look daggers at sb is at dagger .
- be just looking
- be looking to do sth
- look bad | not look good
- look bad (for sb)
- look good
- look here
- look how / what / who ...
- look sb up and down
- (not) look yourself
- never / not look back
- not much to look at
- to look at sb/sth
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- look after yourself / sb / sth
- look ahead (to sth)
- look around / round
- look around / round (sth)
- look around / round for sth
- look at sth
- look back (on sth)
- look down on sb/sth
- look for sth
- look forward to sth
- look in (on sb)
- look into sth
- look on
- look on sb/sth as sb/sth
- look on sb/sth with sth
- look out
- look out for sb
- look out for sb/sth
- look out for sb / yourself
- look sth out (for sb/sth)
- look sth over
- look round
- look through sb
- look through sth
- look to sb for sth | look to sb to do sth
- look to sth
- look up
- look up (from sth)
- look sb up
- look sth up
- look up to sb
••
SYNONYMS
look
watch ♦ see ♦ view ♦ observe ♦ regard
These words all mean to to turn your eyes in a particular direction.
look
to turn your eyes in a particular direction:
If you look carefully you can just see our house from here.
•
She looked at me and smiled.
watch
to look at sb/sth for a time, paying attention to what happens:
to watch television
•
Watch what I do, then you try.
see
to watch a game, television programme, performance, etc.:
In the evening we went to see a movie.
view
( formal ) to look at sth, especially when you look carefully; to watch television, a film / movie, etc.:
People came from all over the world to view her work.
watch, see or view?
You can see / view a film / movie / programme but you cannot: see / view television . View is more formal than see and is used especially in business contexts.
observe
( formal ) to watch sb/sth carefully, especially to learn more about them or it:
The patients were observed over a period of several months.
regard
to look at sb/sth, especially in a particular way:
He regarded us suspiciously.
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS :
to look / watch for sb/sth
to watch / observe what / who / how...
to look / watch / view / observe / regard (sb/sth) in / with amazement / surprise / disapproval, etc.
to look (at sb/sth) / watch (sb/sth) / observe sb / sth / regard sb/sth carefully / closely / intently
to watch / see / view a film / movie / programme
to watch / see a match / game / fight
■ noun
USING EYES
1.
[ C , usually sing. ] look (at sb/sth) an act of looking at sb/sth :
Here, have a look at this.
Take a look at these figures!
Make sure you get a good look at their faces.
One look at his face and Jenny stopped laughing.
A look passed between them (= they looked at each other) .
It's an interesting place. Do you want to take a look around ?
We'll be taking a close look at these proposals (= examining them carefully) .
SEARCH
2.
[ C , usually sing. ] look (for sth/sb) an act of trying to find sth/sb :
I've had a good look for it, but I can't find it.
EXPRESSION
3.
[ C ] an expression in your eyes or face :
a look of surprise
He didn't like the look in her eyes.
She had a worried look on her face.
APPEARANCE
4.
[ C , usually sing. ] the way sb/sth looks; the appearance of sb/sth :
It's going to rain today by the look of it (= judging by appearances) .
Looks can be deceptive.
I don't like the look of that guy (= I don't trust him, judging by his appearance) .
5.
looks [ pl. ] a person's appearance, especially when the person is attractive :
She has her father's good looks .
He lost his looks (= became less attractive) in later life.
—see also good-looking
FASHION
6.
[ sing. ] a fashion; a style :
The punk look is back in fashion.
They've given the place a completely new look.
—see also wet look
•
IDIOMS
- if looks could kill ...
—more at dirty adjective , long adjective
■ exclamation
used to make sb pay attention to what you are going to say, often when you are annoyed :
Look, I think we should go now.
Look, that's not fair.
••
SYNONYMS
look
glance ♦ gaze ♦ stare ♦ glimpse ♦ glare
These are all words for an act of looking, when you turn your eyes in a particular direction.
look
an act of looking at sb / sth:
Here, have a look at this.
glance
a quick look:
She stole a glance at her watch.
gaze
a long steady look at sb / sth:
She felt embarrassed under his steady gaze.
stare
a long look at sb/sth, especially in a way that is unfriendly or that shows surprise:
She gave the officer a blank stare and shrugged her shoulders.
glimpse
a look at sb/sth for a very short time, when you do not see the person or thing completely:
He caught a glimpse of her in the crowd.
glare
a long angry look at sb / sth:
She fixed her questioner with a hostile glare.
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS :
a look / glance / gaze / stare / glare at sth
a glimpse of sb/sth
with a look / glance / stare / glare
a long / penetrating / piercing look / glance / gaze / stare / glare
a brief look / glance / glimpse / glare
to give sb a look / glance / stare / glare
to have / get / take / sneak / steal a look / glance / glimpse
to avoid sb's look / glance / gaze / stare
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English lōcian (verb), of West Germanic origin; related to German dialect lugen .