I. ˈaˌspekt, ˈaa- sometimes -_spēkt or -_spikt noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin aspectus, from aspectus, past participle of aspicere, adspicere to look at, from ad- + -spicere (from specere to look) — more at spy
1.
a.
(1) : the position of planets or stars with respect to one another held by astrologers to exert an influence upon human affairs : the joint look of planets or stars upon each other or upon the earth
the shepherd's issue at whose birth heaven did afford a gracious aspect — Christopher Marlowe
(2) : the effect of this position
astrologers call the evil influences of the stars evil aspects — Francis Bacon
b. archaic : the direction in which influence is brought to bear
c.
(1) : a position facing or fronting a particular direction : a position in relation to the points of the compass : exposure
the house has a southern aspect
(2) : a view of a plane from a given direction : the manner of presentation of a plane to a fluid (as the air) through which it is moving or to a current
(3) : orientation of a slope in respect to the compass : exposure to sunlight
lands are planted with vines where soil and aspect permit
d. : the part of an object in a particular position
a sandbag placed over the dorsal aspects of the feet will prevent them from slipping — Medical Radiography & Photography
2.
a.
(1) obsolete : consideration , respect
(2) : appearance to the eye or mind
the aspect of affairs — T.B.Macaulay
(3) : a particular status or phase in which anything appears or may be regarded
a question having many aspects
in other aspects of our living conditions — W.C.Allee
b.
(1) : a particular appearance of the face : countenance , mien , air
serious in aspect — John Dryden
(2) : the apparent position of a body in the solar system with reference to the sun including conjunction, quadrature, and opposition
(3) : the appearance of a fixed railroad signal as viewed from the direction of an approaching train or the appearance of a cab signal as viewed by an observer in the cab
c. : the distinctive seasonal appearance of a plant community
spring aspect
— see aspection
3. archaic
a. : act of looking or gazing : gaze
his aspect was bent on the ground — Sir Walter Scott
b. : glance , look
4.
[translation of Russian vid ]
a. : a set of inflectional forms of a verb that indicate the nature of the action or the manner in which the action is regarded especially with reference to its beginning, duration, completion, or repetition and without reference to its position in time — used first of the Slavic languages, later of many others; compare completive , imperfective , inchoative , iterative , perfective
b. : the nature of the action of a verb or the manner in which that action is regarded especially with reference to its beginning, duration, completion, or repetition and without reference to its position in time, whether indicated by a set of inflectional forms (as in sense 4a), by the meaning of the verb itself (as in find, expressing momentary or completed action, by contrast with seek, expressing continuing action), by an adverbial modifier (as in sit down, meaning “get into a sitting position”, by contrast with sit there till the doctor is ready, where sit means “remain in a sitting position”), by such devices as the so-called progressive tenses in English (as was eating, which expresses continuing action, by contrast with left, which expresses momentary or completed action, in “he left while I was eating”), or by some other means
5. in the Midwestern system for American archaeology : a unit of classification constituting a group of foci that have an approximate majority of determinant types in common — see phase ; compare component , pattern
Synonyms: see appearance , phase
II. “, aˈspekt transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Latin aspectare, from aspectus, past participle of aspicere
1. astrology , of a planet or constellation : to look upon (a person, house, or another planet) in a particular aspect
when badly aspected the subjects of Scorpio are, however, most destructive — W.T.&Kate Pavitt
2. obsolete : to look at : behold