- see
- see vb 1 See, behold, descry, espy, view, survey, contemplate, observe, notice, remark, note, perceive, discern can all mean to take cognizance of something by physical or sometimes mental vision.See, the most general of these terms, may be used to imply little more than the use of the organs of vision{
he cannot see the crowd for he is blind
}but more commonly it implies a recognition or appreciation of what is before one's eyes{they can see a great deal in Paris, but nothing in an English meadow— Jefferies
}{if the policeman saw him at all, he probably observed him with misgiving— Wolfe
}{the . . . look of one who has seen all, borne all, known all— Styron
}The term may imply the exercise of other powers than the sense of sight, including a vivid imagination{I can see her plainly now, as she looked forty years ago
}{"Methinks I see my father." "Where, my lord?" "In my mind's eye, Horatio"— Shak.
}or mental insight{he was the only one who saw the truth
}or powers of inference{though he appeared calm, I could see he was inwardly agitated
}Behold carries a stronger implication of a definite ocular impression and of distinct recognition than see; it also suggests looking at what is seen{we have sailed many weeks, we have sailed many days, (seven days to the week I allow), but a Snark, on the which we might lovingly gaze, we have never beheld till now— Lewis Carroll
}{a whole tribe living in a craterlike valley, every member of which believes it would be death for him or her to behold the sea— Frazer
}Descry and espy imply a seeing in spite of difficulties (as distance, darkness, or partial concealment).Descry often suggests an effort to discover or a looking out for someone or something{the grass was high in the meadow, and there was no descrying her— George Eliot
}{Sir Austin ascended to the roof . . . and descried him hastening to the boathouse by the riverside— Meredith
}but espy usually implies skill in detection (as of what is small, or not clearly within the range of vision, or is trying to escape detection){the seamen espied a rock within half a cable's length of the ship— Swift
}{flowers we espy beside the torrent growing; flowers that peep forth from many a cleft and chink— Wordsworth
}View and survey, on the contrary, imply the seeing of what is spread before one or what one can examine steadily or in detail. Both terms as often imply mental consideration as a physical seeing or looking over.View usually implies or requires a statement of a particular way of looking at a thing or a particular purpose in considering it{view the panorama with delight viewed a piece of property that he thought of buying
}{view a painting from various angles
}{view the industry of the country, and see how it is affected by inequality of income— Shaw
}{the effort is an interesting one if you view it in terms of the techniques of political symbolism— Lerner
}Survey more often implies a detailed scrutiny or inspection by the eyes or the mind so that one has a picture or idea of something as a whole{the captain surveyed him from cap to waistcoat and from waistcoat to leggings for a few moments— Hardy
}{he surveyed the room from the weathered blue jalousies to the frayed rush mats, from the inevitable spiders on the ceiling to the ants . . . over the floor— Hervey
}{a man surveying Europe today discovers this strange anomaly: it is one great culture, yet it is at deadly issue with itself— Belloc
}Contemplate (see also CONSIDER 1) implies little more than a fixing of the eyes upon something, sometimes in abstraction, but more often in enjoyment or in reference to some end in view{he had a way of looking her over from beneath lowered lids, while he affected to be examining a glove-button or contemplating the tip of his shining boot— Wharton
}Observe and notice both imply a heeding and not passing over; they commonly imply seeing but may suggest the use of another sense{he observed every detail in the arrangement
}{did you notice the man who just passed us?
}{he noticed a peculiar odor
}Especially in scientific use observe may carry a stronger implication of directed attention{in order to get fresh light on this subject, I have observed my own children carefully— Russell
}{keeping an ear pricked to observe the movements of the Viceroy and his group— Woolf
}{things which are always about us . . . are the easiest to observe with accuracy— Grandgent
}Notice often implies some definite reaction to what is seen or sometimes heard, felt, or sensed such as making a mental note of it or a remark about it or, if what is noticed is a person, recognizing him by a salute or a greeting{by Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley they were noticed only by a curtsey— Austen
}{she didn't notice. She drove single-minded and unaware there was anyone next to her— Pynchon
}Remark (see also REMARK) and note carry an even stronger implication than notice of registering mentally one's impression. But remark is more likely to suggest a judging or criticizing of what is noticed{a young lady was talking and laughing with two young gentlemen. I remarked their English accents and listened vaguely— Joyce
}{I could not help remarking the position of her left arm—Quiller-Couch
}and note to suggest a recording, sometimes by a mental note, but sometimes in writing or in speech{a certain ungraciousness, noted in later years by his nearest colleagues— Ellis
}{he carried a map and noted every stream and every hill that we passed
}Perceive carries a stronger implication of the use of the mind in observation than any of the preceding terms. The word basically implies apprehension or obtaining knowledge of a thing, not only through the sense of sight but through any of the senses. It is often used in place of see in the simple sense of that word, but since it always implies distinct recognition of what is seen, the words are sometimes used in contrast, especially by psychologists{an infant sees objects long before it is able to perceive them as definite persons or things
}{when he drew nearer he perceived it to be a spring van, ordinary in shape, but singular in color— Hardy
}In its richer meaning perceive suggests not only dependence on other senses than that of sight but also usually keen mental vision or special insight and penetration{disgusted with every person who could not perceive . . . these obvious truths— Bennett
}{his lightning dashes from image to image, so quick that we are unable at first to perceive the points of contact— Day Lewis
}Discern, like descry, often implies little more than a making out of something by means of the eyes{at length he discerned, a long distance in front of him, a moving spot, which appeared to be a vehicle— Hardy
}{sometimes we discern the city afar off— Benson
}In its more distinctive use the term usually implies the powers of deeply perceiving and of distinguishing or discriminating what the senses perceive{ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?—Mr 16:3
}{his grave eyes steadily discerned the good in men— Masefield
}{he tried quickly to think of somthing else, lest with her uncanny intuition she discern the cloud of death in his mind— Buck
}Analogous words: *scrutinize, scan, examine, inspect: pierce, penetrate, probe (see ENTER): *consider, study, contemplate2 See, look, watch can all mean to perceive something by means of the eyes.See (see also SEEI) stresses the reception of visual impressions{he is now able to see clearly
}{have the power of seeing
}Look stresses the directing of the eyes to something or the fixing of the eyes on something in order to see it{if you will only look, you will be able to see what I am doing
}{he refused to look in the mirror the nurse gave him
}Watch (see also TEND) implies a following of something with one's eyes, so as to observe every movement, every change, a sign of danger, or a favorable opportunity{watch for a while and tell us what you see
}{spend the night watching a sick friend
}{watching the clock as closely as a cat watches a mouse
}Analogous words: *gaze, gape, stare, glare
New Dictionary of Synonyms. 2014.
