verb (used with object), saw, seen, see·ing.
- to perceive with the eyes; look at.
- to view; visit or attend as a spectator: to see a play.
- to perceive by means of computer vision.
- to scan or view, especially by electronic means: The satellite can see the entire southern half of the country.
- to perceive (things) mentally; discern; understand: to see the point of an argument.
- to construct a mental image of; visualize: He still saw his father as he was 25 years ago.
- to accept or imagine or suppose as acceptable: I can’t see him as president.
- to be cognizant of; recognize: to see the good in others; to see where the mistake is.
- to foresee: He could see war ahead.
- to ascertain, learn, or find out: See who is at the door.
- to have knowledge or experience of: to see service in the foreign corps.
- to make sure: See that the work is done.
- to meet and converse with: Are you seeing her at lunch today?
- to receive as a visitor: The ambassador finally saw him.
- to visit: He’s gone to see his aunt.
- to court, keep company with, or date frequently: They’ve been seeing each other for a long time.
- to provide aid or assistance to; take care of: He’s seeing his brother through college.
- to attend or escort: to see someone home.
- Cards. to match (a bet) or match the bet of (a bettor) by staking an equal sum; call: I’ll see your five and raise you five more.
- to prefer (someone or something) to be as indicated (usually used as a mild oath): I’ll see you in hell before I sell you this house. He’ll see the business fail before he admits he’s wrong.
- to read or read about: I saw it in the newspaper.
verb (used without object), saw, seen, see·ing.
- to have the power of sight.
- to be capable of perceiving by means of computer vision.
- to understand intellectually or spiritually; have insight: Philosophy teaches us to see.
- to give attention or care: See, there it goes.
- to find out; make inquiry: Go and see for yourself.
- to consider; think; deliberate: Let me see, how does that song go?
- to look about; observe: They heard the noise and came out to see.
Verb Phrases
- see about,
- to investigate; inquire about.
- to turn one’s attention to; take care of: He said he would see about getting the license plates.
- see after, to attend to; take care of: Will you please see after my plants while I’m away?
- see off, to take leave of someone setting out on a journey; accompany to the place of departure: I went to the airport to see them off.
- see out, to remain with (a task, project, etc.) until its completion: We decided to see it out, even if it meant another year.
- see through,
- to penetrate to the true nature of; comprehend; detect: He quickly saw through my story.
- to stay with to the end or until completion; persevere: to see a difficult situation through.
- see to, to take care of; be responsible for: I’ll see to the theater tickets.
verb sees, seeing, saw or seen
- to perceive with the eyes
- (when tr, may take a clause as object) to perceive (an idea) mentally; understandI explained the problem but he could not see it
- (tr) to perceive with any or all of the sensesI hate to see you so unhappy
- (tr; may take a clause as object) to be aware of in advance; foreseeI can see what will happen if you don’t help
- (when tr, may take a clause as object) to ascertain or find out (a fact); learnsee who is at the door
- (when tr, takes a clause as object; when intr, foll by to) to make sure (of something) or take care (of something)see that he gets to bed early
- (when tr, may take a clause as object) to consider, deliberate, or decidesee if you can come next week
- (tr) to have experience of; undergohe had seen much unhappiness in his life
- (tr) to allow to be in a specified conditionI cannot stand by and see a child in pain
- (tr) to be characterized bythis period of history has seen much unrest
- (tr) to meet or pay a visit toto see one’s solicitor
- (tr) to receive, esp as a guest or visitorthe Prime Minister will see the deputation now
- (tr) to frequent the company ofshe is seeing a married man
- (tr) to accompany or escortI saw her to the door
- (tr) to refer to or look upfor further information see the appendix
- (in gambling, esp in poker) to match (another player’s bet) or match the bet of (another player) by staking an equal sum
- as far as I can see to the best of my judgment or understanding
- see fit (takes an infinitive) to consider proper, desirable, etcI don’t see fit to allow her to come here
- see someone hanged first or see someone damned first informal to refuse absolutely to do what one has been asked
- see someone right British informal to ensure fair treatment of (someone)if he has cheated you, I’ll see you right
- see the light or see the light of day See light 1 (def. 24)
- see you, see you later or be seeing you an expression of farewell
- you see informal a parenthetical filler phrase used to make a pause in speaking or add slight emphasis
noun
- the diocese of a bishop, or the place within it where his cathedral or procathedral is situatedSee also Holy See
v.Old English seon “to see, look, behold; observe, perceive, understand; experience, visit, inspect” (contracted class V strong verb; past tense seah, past participle sewen), from Proto-Germanic *sekhwanan (cf. Old Saxon, Old High German sehan, Middle High German, German sehen, Old Frisian sia, Middle Dutch sien, Old Norse sja, Gothic saihwan), from PIE root *sekw- (2) “to see,” which is probably identical with *sekw- (1) “to follow” (see sequel), a root which produced words for “say” in Greek and Latin, and also words for “follow” (cf. Latin sequor), but “opinions differ in regard to the semantic starting-point and sequences” [Buck]. Thus see might originally mean “follow with the eyes.” Used in Middle English to mean “behold in the imagination or in a dream” (c.1200), “to recognize the force of (a demonstration),” also c.1200. Sense of “escort” (e.g. to see someone home) first recorded 1607 in Shakespeare. Meaning “to receive as a visitor” is attested from c.1500. Gambling sense of “equal a bet” is from 1590s. See you as a casual farewell first attested 1891. Let me see as a pausing statement is recorded from 1510s. To have seen everything as a hyperbolic expression of astonishment is from 1957. When you have seen one of their Pictures, you have seen all. [Blake, c.1811] n.c.1300, “throne of a bishop, archbishop, or pope,” also “throne of a monarch, a goddess, Antichrist, etc.,” from Old French sie “seat, throne; town, capital; episcopal see,” from Latin sedem (nominative sedes) “seat, throne, abode, temple,” related to sedere “to sit” (see sedentary). Early 14c. as “administrative center of a bishopric;” c.1400 as “province under the jurisdiction of a bishop.” see look after. In addition to the idioms beginning with see
also see:
Also see underseen.