Main Entry:

¹see

Pronunciation:

\ˈsē\

Function:

verb

Inflected Form(s):

saw \ˈsȯ\ ; seen \ˈsēn\ ; see·ing \ˈsē-iŋ\

Etymology:

Middle English seen, from Old English sēon; akin to Old High German sehan to see and perhaps to Latin sequi to follow — more at sue

Date:

before 12th century

transitive verb1 a: to perceive by the eye b: to perceive or detect as if by sight2 a: to have experience of : undergo <see army service> b: to come to know : discover c: to be the setting or time of <the last fifty years have seen a sweeping revolution in science — Barry Commoner>3 a: to form a mental picture of : visualize <can still see her as she was years ago> b: to perceive the meaning or importance of : understand c: to be aware of : recognize <sees only our faults> d: to imagine as a possibility : suppose <couldn't see him as a crook>4 a: examine, watch <want to see how she handles the problem> b (1): read (2): to read of c: to attend as a spectator <see a play>5 a: to take care of : provide for <had enough money to see us through> b: to make sure <see that order is kept>6 a: to regard as : judge b: to prefer to have <I'll see him hanged first> <I'll see you dead before I accept your terms> c: to find acceptable or attractive <can't understand what he sees in her>7 a: to call on : visit b (1): to keep company with especially in courtship or dating <had been seeing each other for a year> (2): to grant an interview to : receive <the president will see you now>8: accompany, escort <see the guests to the door>9: to meet (a bet) in poker or to equal the bet of (a player) : callintransitive verb1 a: to give or pay attention b: to look about2 a: to have the power of sight b: to apprehend objects by sight c: to perceive objects as if by sight3 a: to grasp something mentally b: to acknowledge or consider something being pointed out <see, I told you it would rain>4: to make investigation or inquiry

— see·able \-ə-bəl\ adjective

— see after

: to attend to : care for

— see eye to eye

: to have a common viewpoint : agree

— see red

: to become very angry

— see the light

: to discover or realize a usually obscured truth

— see the light of day

: to become publicly known or available (as through publication) <manuscripts that will never see the light of day>

— see things

: hallucinate

— see through

: to grasp the true nature of <saw through the scheme>

— see to

: to attend to : care for