From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishseesee1 /siː/ ●●● S1 W1 verb (past tense saw /sɔː $ sɒː/, past participle seen /siːn/) 1 notice/examine [transitive]NOTICEEXAMINE to notice or examine someone or something, using your eyes The moment we saw the house, we knew we wanted to buy it. He crouched down so he couldn’t be seen. Can I see your ticket, please? I saw the offer advertised in the newspaper.can/can’t see You can see the Houses of Parliament from here.see where/what/who etc Can you see where the marks are on the wall?see (that) He saw that she was crying.see somebody/something do something I saw him leave a few minutes ago.see somebody/something doing something The suspect was seen entering the building. As you can see, the house needs some work doing on it. Have you seen Chris (=do you know where he is)? The accommodation was so awful it had to be seen to be believed (=you would not believe it if you did not see it yourself).2 notice something is true [transitive] to notice that something is happening or that something is true More money must be invested if we are to see an improvement in services. After a month’s practice, you should see a difference in your playing. Seeing his distress, Louise put her arm around him. I would like to see changes in the way the course is run. ‘You’re not denying it, I see, ’ he said coldly.see (that) I can see you’re not very happy with the situation.3 ability to see [intransitive, transitive]SIGHT/ABILITY TO SEE to be able to use your eyes to look at things and know what they arecan/can’t see From the tower, you can see for miles. I can’t see a thing without my glasses.not see to do something His eyes are so bad that he can’t see to read anymore.4 find out information [intransitive, transitive]FIND OUT to find out information or a factsee what/how/when etc I’ll call him and see how the job interview went. She went outside to see what was happening.see if/whether I’ve just come to see if you want to go out for a drink. These chocolates are gorgeous. Try some and see for yourself (=find out if it is true). By looking at this leaflet, you can see at a glance (=find out very easily) how much a loan will cost.it can be seen that/we can see that From this graph, it can be seen that some people are more susceptible to the disease. As we have seen in chapter four, women’s pay is generally less than men’s.5 in the future [intransitive, transitive]FIND OUT to find out about something in the futuresee if/whether It will be interesting to see if he makes it into the team.see how/what/when etc I might come – I’ll see how I feel tomorrow. Let’s try it and see what happens. ‘Can we go to the zoo, Dad?’ ‘We’ll see’ (=used when you do not want to make a decision immediately). ‘How long can you stay?’ ‘I’ll have to see. It depends (=used when you cannot make a decision immediately).’ We’ll just have to wait and see.see how it goes/see how things go (=used when you are going to do something and will deal with problems if they happen) I don’t know. We’ll just have to see how it goes on Sunday. Things will work out, you’ll see (=you will find out that I am right). 6 where information is [transitive] especially writtenFIND OUT used to tell you where you can find information See p. 58. See press for details.see above/below The results are shown in Table 7a (see below).Grammar See is always used in the imperative in this meaning.7 understand [intransitive, transitive]UNDERSTAND to understand or realize somethingsee why/what/how etc I can’t see why he’s so upset. I see what you mean (=I understand what you are saying). ‘He lives here but works in London during the week.’ ‘Oh, I see (=I understand).’ You see, the thing is, I’m really busy right now (=used when you are explaining something). You mix the flour and eggs like this, see (=used to check that someone is listening and understands)? I can’t see the point of (=I do not understand the reason for) spending so much money on a car. Do you see the point I’m making (=do you understand what I’m trying to say)? The other officers laughed, but Nichols couldn’t see the joke.see reason/sense (=realize that you are wrong or doing something stupid) I just can’t get her to see reason!► see thesaurus at understand8 watch [transitive]AWATCH to watch a television programme, play, film etc Did you see that programme on monkeys last night? We’re going to see ‘Romeo and Juliet’ tonight.9 consider somebody/something [transitive]THINK/HAVE THE OPINION THAT to think about or consider someone or something in a particular way, or as having particular qualities Having a child makes you see things differently. Violence is seen in different ways by different people.as somebody sees it/the way somebody sees it (=used to give someone’s opinion) As I see it, you don’t have any choice. The way I see it, we have two options.see somebody/something as something I see the job as a challenge.see yourself as something He saw himself as a failure.be seen as (being) something The peace talks are seen as a sign of hope. This type of work is often seen as boring.be seen to be (doing) something Teachers need to be seen to be in control. The government must be seen to be doing something about the rise in violent crime.10 → see what somebody/something can do11 → I’ll see what I can do12 → see you13 visit [transitive]MEET to visit or meet someone I’ll be seeing her tomorrow night. I haven’t seen her since we left school. She’s too sick to see anyone right now. 14 meet by chance [transitive]MEET to meet someone by chance I saw Jane while I was out.15 have a meeting [transitive]MEET to have an arranged meeting with someone Mr Thomas is seeing a client at 2:30. She was seen by a doctor but didn’t need hospital treatment.see somebody about something (=see someone to discuss something) I have to see my teacher about my grades.16 spend time with somebody [transitive]SPEND TIME to spend time with someone They’ve been seeing a lot of each other.see more/less of somebody (=see someone more or less often) They’ve seen more of each other since Dan moved to London.17 → be seeing somebody18 imagine [transitive]IMAGINE to imagine that something may happen in the future He could see a great future for her in music.can’t see somebody/something doing something I can’t see him winning, can you? She’s got a new book coming out, but I can’t see it doing very well.see somebody as something (=be able to imagine someone being something) I just can’t see her as a ballet dancer.19 → seeing as (how)20 → see something for what it is21 make sure [transitive]CHECK/MAKE SURE to make sure or check that something is donesee (that) It’s up to you to see that the job’s done properly. Please see that the lights are switched off before you leave. Don’t worry – I’ll see to it. The hotel’s owners see to it that their guests are given every luxury. 22 experience something [transitive] to experience something She was so sick that doctors didn’t think she’d live to see her first birthday. I never thought I’d live to see the day when women became priests. She’s seen it all before (=has experienced so much that nothing surprises her) in her long career. → been there, seen that, done that at been(3)23 time/place [transitive]EXIST if a time or place has seen a particular event or situation, it happened or existed in that time or place This year has seen a big increase in road accidents. The city has seen plenty of violence over the years.24 → let me see25 → I don’t see why not26 go with somebody [transitive always + adverb/preposition]HELP to go somewhere with someone to make sure they are safe My mother used to see me across the road. I’ll get Nick to see you home. Let me see you to the door (=go with you to the door, to say goodbye).27 → be seeing things28 → see double29 → have seen better days30 → be glad/pleased etc to see the back of somebody/something31 → see the last of somebody/something32 → see the light33 → see the light of day34 → see red35 → not see somebody for dust36 → see eye to eye37 → seen one ... seen them all38 → see your way (clear) to doing something39 → (see and) be seen40 → not see the wood for the trees41 → see something coming42 → see somebody coming (a mile off)43 → see somebody right44 → not see that it matters45 game of cards [transitive]DGG to risk the same amount of money as your opponent in a card game → it remains to be seen at remain(5), → see fit (to do something) at fit2(3), → wouldn’t be seen dead at dead1(12)GRAMMAR: Using the progressive • In meanings 1,2, 3,9, 14, and 18, see is not used in the progressive. You say: I see Tina over there.I suddenly saw the difference. ✗Don’t say: I am seeing Tina over there. | I was suddenly seeing the difference.• See is often used with can: I can see Tina over there.I could suddenly see the difference.THESAURUSsee to notice something with your eyes, usually without planning to. Also used when saying that you watched a particular programme, film, game etcHave you seen my keys anywhere?Did you see the basketball game last night?look at somebody/something to keep your eyes pointed toward someone or something, especially someone or something that is not movingI looked at the map.She was looking at him in a strange way.notice to see something interesting or unusualI noticed a police car outside their house.spot to suddenly see something, especially something you are looking forNick spotted the advertisement in the paper.catch sight of/catch a glimpse of (also glimpse formal) to suddenly see someone or something for a short time, usually not clearlyI caught sight of him in the hotel lobby, and followed him out the door.He glimpsed her face as she went into the courtroom.make out somebody/something to see something, but only with difficultyAhead, I could just make out the figure of a woman.witness to see something happen, especially a crime or an accidentThe police are asking anyone who witnessed the attack to come forward.observe formal to see and pay attention to somethingOfficers observed him driving at 100 mph.sight especially written to suddenly see something or someone from a long distance, especially when you have been looking for a long timeThe missing boys were sighted by a rescue helicopter.The crew finally sighted land.Unable to seeblind unable to see anythingShe has been blind from birth.partially-sighted not able to see things very well, although not completely blindGood lighting can be very important for partially sighted people.visually handicapped/impaired completely blind or not able to see very much – used especially in official reports, forms etca special school for visually impaired children → see about something → see something against something → see around → see in → see somebody/something ↔ off → see somebody/something out → see over something → see through → see to somebody/something→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
see• "Is he ready yet?" "I don't know - I'll go and see."• "It goes in the red box, here." "Oh, I see."• Dr Thomas is seeing a client at 2:30.• He saw a man get out of the car and walk to the side of the road.• Did you see a white van parked out here earlier today?• Ally has been seeing an analyst for years.• Dr. McNeil had never seen an injury like this before.• Can you see any reason why it shouldn't work?• Danielle's still too sick to see anyone today.• Dad doesn't see as well as he used to.• Can't you see I'm eating?• 'How do you know it's true?' 'Because I saw it with my own eyes!'• Hi, I'm here to see Mary Jorgensen.• "I've come to see Mr. Greene about a job, " he said nervously.• Have you seen my pen anywhere?• He's just one of those people who never seem to see the joke.• Did you see the news last night?• At fourteen, he couldn't see the point of staying in school.• Have you seen what Jake's done to his bedroom?• Can you see who's at the door?can/can’t see• Newborn babies can see only blurred shapes.• Hey, you can see the Empire State Building from here.not see to do something• And the Liverpool Society warns of the threat of external interference if the profession is not seen to be demonstrating effective self-regulation.• The point is this: trust is only applauded when it is not seen to be misplaced.• The physical cosmos does not see to be necessary.• Nevertheless, many argued that, once again, Mr Yeltsin was not seen to be taking charge when most needed.• If the alliance were not seen to make progress, it might go into reverse.• My eyes were now very bad, and I could not see to read.• On those days Oliver could not see to work in his dark little office past four thirty.see what/how/when etc• If you could see what is going to happen in the future, you could change it.• In all probability you will also see how not to lay them out.• It remains to be seen how quickly green consumerism, that most middle class of activities, can sort this out.• You should have seen what she was wearing.• Every time the phone rang he saw how still she sat, how she seemed to stop breathing.• In this chapter and the next, we shall see what the civilized culture of Sumer was like.• To see how the ripples form.• The more he needed people, the more he saw how unreliable they were.see if/whether• He said he wanted to see if I could still do it.• People will look at it and see if it has relevance for them.• I wanted to see if it was true.• This reality can be seen if one looks at the wage structure from the perspective of male high school graduates.• Rather, offer the suggestion and see if there is interest.• He wanted to go to see if these most unbelievable things could be true.• I look at them closely to see if this purpose is illusory, but I can't tell.• As soon as I received them I rang Rod Aspinwall to see if we could travel down together.see why/what/how etc• She saw what appeared to be a bundle of rags lying on the pavement.• You can see what attractions lie along your route, or base your route on the attractions you prefer.• Her depleted tray cooling fast, she moved on to see what else she could find.• Hidden charges on bank accounts are not helpful to anyone trying to see what is happening to their money.• We have seen how McClellan's system provides a framework for building up the bookstock at each service point.• Earlier we saw how spiral images may have derived from snails and other natural forms, from sea shells to galaxies.• We can see how these experiences enhance a hands-on, integrated approach.• If you have healthy young children, observe them closely and see what you can find out for yourself.see somebody/something as something• Climbers see the Himalayas as the final frontier.see somebody about something• Why don't you see Bryan about the job?seeing a lot of• We reproduce it here with their logo which you will seeing a lot of in the months ahead.• We are seeing a lot of proposed legislation at the state level as well.• I was seeing lots of things different.see to it• Tim Littler has seen to it that guests will sample some of the great wines of the world with their dinner.• And the gods, who are always alert to such things, saw to it that he should fall into competent hands.• I told her ladyship and she saw to it that he was got rid of.• They would see to it that he went on no voyage.• It seems that it never occurred to Rosa Lee to see to it that her kids had a decent education.• He will see to it that his office arrangements are parallel with the professional plane he has reached.• So you'd better see to it that Luke and Sonny don't go often to the village.• He saw to it that she did not kiss him goodbye.seen it all before• Andy Cushing - seen it all before.• He knew what would happen to him, because he had seen it all before.• He surveyed the encompassing scene in the cool, calm and collected manner of some one who had seen it all before.• I learnt things that are neither discussed in manuals nor by hardened divers who have seen it all before.• The mine inspectors in the field work only with their wits and the confidence that they have seen it all before.• They had seen it all before.• The stewardess has seen it all before and rounds them up, herding them into the aircraft.see ... home• Habash never again saw his boyhood home.• Perhaps there is no greater feeling of powerlessness, and despair, than seeing a home fill up with water.• The students spend half the week in the practice, where they see patients at home or in the surgery.• Darlington County Court, which also covers Northallerton and Richmond, in 1991 saw 565 homes repossessed for non-payment of mortgages.• I've seen the homes they live in-mud-floored shacks with no sanitation or direct access to running water.• Readers were able to see if their home was at risk or not.• I was a traveler returning to a cozy home, able to see that home with new eyes.seesee2 noun [countable] RRCan area governed by a bishopExamples from the Corpus
see• But the see of London is work for the physically strong, not for declining energy.• He could manage the see of London.Origin see1 Old English seon see2 (1200-1300) Old French se, from Latin sedes “seat” 