look Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the feelings expressed on a person's face
    facial expression; expression; aspect; face.
    • a sad expression
    • a look of triumph
    • an angry face
  2. noun the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
    looking; looking at.
    • he went out to have a look
    • his look was fixed on her eyes
    • he gave it a good looking at
    • his camera does his looking for him
  3. noun physical appearance
    • I don't like the looks of this place
  4. noun the general atmosphere of a place or situation and the effect that it has on people
    flavour; feel; tone; flavor; feeling; smell; spirit.
    • the feel of the city excited him
    • a clergyman improved the tone of the meeting
    • it had the smell of treason
  5. verb perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
    • She looked over the expanse of land
    • Look at your child!
    • Look--a deer in the backyard!
  6. verb give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
    seem; appear.
    • She seems to be sleeping
    • This appears to be a very difficult problem
    • This project looks fishy
    • They appeared like people who had not eaten or slept for a long time
  7. verb have a certain outward or facial expression
    • How does she look?
    • The child looks unhappy
    • She looked pale after the surgery
  8. verb search or seek
    search.
    • We looked all day and finally found the child in the forest
    • Look elsewhere for the perfect gift!
  9. verb be oriented in a certain direction, often with respect to another reference point; be opposite to
    front; face.
    • The house looks north
    • My backyard look onto the pond
    • The building faces the park
  10. verb take charge of or deal with
    see; take care; attend.
    • Could you see about lunch?
    • I must attend to this matter
    • She took care of this business
  11. verb convey by one's expression
    • She looked her devotion to me
  12. verb look forward to the probable occurrence of
    await; expect; wait.
    • We were expecting a visit from our relatives
    • She is looking to a promotion
    • he is waiting to be drafted
  13. verb accord in appearance with
    • You don't look your age!
  14. verb have faith or confidence in
    count; depend; reckon; bet; calculate.
    • you can count on me to help you any time
    • Look to your friends for support
    • You can bet on that!
    • Depend on your family in times of crisis

WordNet

Look intransitive verb
Etymology
OE. loken, AS. l&omac;cian; akin to G. lugen, OHG. luogen.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Looked ; present participle & verbal noun Looking
Definitions
  1. To direct the eyes for the purpose of seeing something; to direct the eyes toward an object; to observe with the eyes while keeping them directed; -- with various prepositions, often in a special or figurative sense. See Phrases below.
  2. To direct the attention (to something); to consider; to examine; as, to look at an action.
  3. To seem; to appear; to have a particular appearance; as, the patient looks better; the clouds look rainy.
    It would look more like vanity than gratitude. Addison.
    Observe how such a practice looks in another person. I. Watts.
  4. To have a particular direction or situation; to face; to front.
    The inner gate that looketh to north. Ezek. viii. 3.
    The east gate . . . which looketh eastward. Ezek. xi. 1.
  5. In the imperative: see; behold; take notice; take care; observe; -- used to call attention.
    Look, how much we thus expel of sin, so much we expel of virtue. Milton.
    ✍ Look, in the imperative, may be followed by a dependent sentence, but see is oftener so used. See spot run? in 1990, the reverse is true
    Look that ye bind them fast. Shak.
    Look if it be my daughter. Talfourd.
  6. To show one's self in looking, as by leaning out of a window; as, look out of the window while I speak to you. Sometimes used figuratively.
    My toes look through the overleather. Shak.
  7. To await the appearance of anything; to expect; to anticipate.
    Looking each hour into death's mouth to fall. Spenser.
Look transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To look at; to turn the eyes toward.
  2. To seek; to search for. Obs.
    Looking my love, I go from place to place. Spenser.
  3. To expect. Obs. Shak.
  4. To influence, overawe, or subdue by looks or presence as, to look down opposition.
    A spirit fit to start into an empire, And look the world to law. Dryden.
  5. To express or manifest by a look.
    Soft eyes looked love to eyes which spake again. Byron.
Look noun
Definitions
  1. The act of looking; a glance; a sight; a view; -- often in certain phrases; as, to have, get, take, throw, or cast, a look.
    Threw many a northward look to see his father Bring up his powers; but he did long in vain. Shak.
  2. Expression of the eyes and face; manner; as, a proud or defiant look. "Gentle looks." Shak.
    Up ! up! my friends, and clear your looks. Wordsworth.
  3. Hence; Appearance; aspect; as, the house has a gloomy look; the affair has a bad look.
    Pain, disgrace, and poverty have frighted looks. Locke.
    There was something that reminded me of Dante's Hell in the look of this. Carlyle.

Webster 1913