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 verb 1 a : to perceive by the eye b : to perceive or detect as if by sight
2 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 verb 1 a : to give or pay attention b : to look about
2 a : to have the power of sight b : to apprehend objects by sight c : to perceive objects as if by sight
3 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