sight

¹sight

noun \ˈsīt\

Definition of SIGHT

1

: something that is seen : spectacle

2

a : a thing regarded as worth seeing —usually used in plural <the sights of the city>

b : something ludicrous or disorderly in appearance <you look a sight>

3

a chiefly dialect : a great number or quantity

b : a good deal : lot <a far sight better> <not by a damn sight>

4

a : the process, power, or function of seeing; specifically : the physical sense by which light stimuli received by the eye are interpreted by the brain and constructed into a representation of the position, shape, brightness, and usually color of objects in space

b : mental or spiritual perception

c : mental view; specifically : judgment

5

a : the act of looking at or beholding

b : inspection, perusal

c : view, glimpse

d : an observation to determine direction or position (as by a navigator)

6

a : a perception of an object by or as if by the eye <never lost sight of the objective>

b : the range of vision <was nowhere in sight>

7

: presentation of a note or draft to the maker or draftee : demand

8

a : a device that aids the eye in aiming or in finding the direction of an object

b plural : aspiration <set her sights on a medical career>

— in sight

: at or within a reasonable distance or time

— on sight

: as soon as seen <ordered to shoot on sight>

— out of sight

1

: beyond comparison

2

: beyond all expectation or reason

3

—used as a generalized expression of approval

— sight for sore eyes

: one whose appearance or arrival is an occasion for joy or relief

Examples of SIGHT

1. She regained sight in her left eye.
2. The officers were ordered to shoot on sight.
3. Keep out of sight until I tell you it's OK to come out.
4. The child wandered out of sight.
5. Don't let the puppy out of your sight.
6. The rabbit disappeared from sight into the tall grass.
7. The controls are hidden from sight behind a panel.

Origin of SIGHT

Middle English, from Old English gesiht faculty or act of sight, thing seen; akin to Old High German gisiht sight, Old English sēon to see

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to SIGHT

Synonyms

company, presence

Antonyms

ace, bit, dab, dram, driblet, glimmer, handful, hint, lick, little, mite, mouthful, nip, ounce, peanuts, pinch, pittance, scruple, shade, shadow, smidgen (also smidgeon or smidgin or smidge), speck, spot, sprinkle, sprinkling, strain, streak, suspicion, tad, taste, touch, trace

Related Words

closeness, contiguity, immediacy, nearness, proximity

Near Antonyms

vision

Rhymes with SIGHT

bight, bite, blight, bright, byte, cite, dight, dite, fight, flight, fright, height, hight, kite, knight, krait, kyte, light, lite, might, mite, night, plight, quite, right, rite, site, sleight, slight, smite, spite, sprite, tight, trite, white, wight, wite, wright, write

²sight

verb

Definition of SIGHT

transitive verb

1

: to get or catch sight of <several whales were sighted>

2

: to look at through or as if through a sight; especially : to test for straightness

3

: to aim by means of sights

4

a : to equip with sights

b : to adjust the sights of

intransitive verb

1

: to take aim

2

: to look carefully in a particular direction

Examples of SIGHT

1. They sighted a ship in the distance.
2. Several bears have been sighted in the area.

First Known Use of SIGHT

1602

Related to SIGHT

Synonyms

behold, catch, descry, discern, distinguish, espy, eye, look (at), note, notice, observe, perceive, regard, remark, see, spot, spy, view, witness

Related Words

identify, make out, pick out, pick up; attend (to), consider, heed, mark, mind; study, watch; examine, inspect, scan, scrutinize, survey; glance (at), glimpse, peer (at)

Near Antonyms

disregard, ignore, neglect, overpass, pass over; miss, overlook

³sight

adjective

Definition of SIGHT

1

: based on recognition or comprehension without previous study <sight translation>

2

: payable on presentation <a sight draft>

First Known Use of SIGHT

1801

sight

noun \ˈsīt\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of SIGHT

1

: something that is seen

2

: the process, power, or function of seeing; specifically : the one of the five basic physical senses by which light stimuli received by the eye are interpreted by the brain and constructed into a representation of the position, shape, brightness, and usually color of objects in space

3

a : a perception of an object by the eye b : the range of vision