I. ˈgāz verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English gasen, gazen, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Swedish dialect gasa to stare, Norwegian dialect gase fool, gasa to rush forward, and perhaps to Old Norse gassi reckless person, Icelandic, gander, Danish dialect gåse gander, Old Norse gās goose — more at goose
intransitive verb
: to fix the eyes in a steady and intent look : look with eagerness (as in admiration, wonder) or with studious attention
gazed delighted at the scurrying throng
gazing after the slowly vanishing boat
transitive verb
archaic : to view with attention : gaze on
Synonyms:
gaze , gape , stare , glare , peer , and gloat can mean in common, but with marked differences, to look at long and attentively. gaze usually implies fixed and prolonged attention
gaze absently into the distance
could only sigh, and gaze at her wonderingly — George Meredith
she gazed into his faded blue eyes as if yearning to be understood — Joseph Conrad
gape usually implies an open-mouthed, often stupid, wonder
gape at an apparition in astonishment
sit gaping at the spring sunshine
stare implies a fixed and direct, unwavering gaze
stare at a stranger impolitely
stare at a TV screen
glare adds to stare the idea of intenseness, usually of fierceness or anger
he stared at her from doorways, and glared at her from passages as she went about with her partners; and the more he stared, the more taken was he — Rudyard Kipling
glare at a disobedient child
he put his paw on the prize, and glared across the water with a defiant growl — C.G.D.Roberts
peer suggests a looking closely or curiously, especially with partly closed eyes or from behind something
the haggard face … that peered at him out of the angle of the wall — Liam O'Flaherty
we peered at the muddy waters through an intricate pattern of bridgework — David Fairchild
she had peered at it keenly through her spectacles — Agnes S. Turnbull
gloat implies prolonged or frequent gazing upon something, usually with profound, often unholy satisfaction
there were residents of Boston who couldn't take their eyes from the passing carts, but stood and gloated — Kenneth Roberts
as a boy he used to gloat in the Museum of Düsseldorf over the wood-carvings — G.G.Coulton
spent hours gloating over his money
II. noun
( -s )
1. archaic : an object gazed on
2.
a. : act of looking fixedly
made a long slow gaze the length of the ridge
b. : a fixed intent look : a continued look of attention
his gaze was steady, his mien reproachful
•
- at gaze