WAYS OF LOOKING

SYNONYMS
 LOOK

Give attention to what one is seeing; turn the eyes and see in a
certain direction
For example
“Look at that cute baby!”
 SEE

Use the power of sight

For example
“See, here she comes!”
 WATCH

Look at some activity or event; Keep one’s eyes fixed on something

For example
“The boys watched television all the afternoon”
 BEHOLD

Old use of the verb see

For example
“Behold the king”
 View
Look thoroughly; regard, consider
For example
“The film hasn’t been viewd by the censor yet.”
See for the first time
For example
“The men in the ship finally sighted land”

Sight
 Observe

Watch carefully
For example
“The police observed the man entering the bank”
 Scan
Look quickly at something without careful reading
For Example
“John scanned the newspaper over breakfast”
WAYS OF LOOKING ANGRILY
 GLARE

Stare angrily or fiercely

For example
“She hadn’t answered, but just glared silently at me”
FROWN
Look in a worried or angry way, moving down the eyebrows together
For example
“He read the telegram, frowning at its contents”
 Frown angrily
For example
“She was very angry and scowled at him while
she talked”

Scowl
WAYS OF LOOKING IN
SURPRISE OR
ADMIRATION
 GAZE
Look at something for a long time, in surprise or admiration.
For example
“She gazed at him in disbelief when he told her the news”
 Gape
Look at something with one’s mouth open
For example
“She gaped at him in surprise”
WAYS OF LOOKING FIXEDLY
 Stare

Look at something for a long time with the eyes wide

open

For example

“She was staring into space”

 GAWK OR GAWP

Stare impolitely
For example
“Many people gathered to gawk at the crashed car”
WAYS OF LOOKING FAST
 Peep
Look quickly and cautiously
For example
“He was caught peeping through the keyhole”
 Have
a pas
some si ng v

p se
t hin g iew o
Usua o f
lly us r somebo
G l im to ca
tch a
ed in
the ex
dy.
Fo r e g limps press
xamp e of ion
“He c le
oul d
t he p catch
resid a gl im
crow e nt am p
d” ong t se of
he
 GLANCE

Have a quick look at something

For example
“She glanced at her watch”
Blink
Shut and open the eyes quickly
For example
“How long can you stare without blinking?”
Close one eye briefly as a signal to somebody
For example
“He winked at me to show that he was just joking”

Wink
 Peek

Look quickly and secretively
For example
“She found her brother peeking at her diary”
WAYS OFLOOKING
WITH DIFFICULTY
 Peer

Look very carefully as if not able to see well

For example
“He peered at me over his spectacles”
 Squint

Look with the eyes half shut or turned sideways or

throught a narrow opening
For example
“She squinted through the letter-box and saw an
envelope”
SPOT Recognize someone suddenly among many
others
For example
“He was spotted by the police boarding
the plane to Berlin”
 IMPOLITE
WAYS OF LOOKING
Ogle

Look or stare (at a woman) Suggesting

sexual interest
For example
“Most women hate being ogled at”
Leer
Look in an unpleasant way, suggesting ill
will or lust
For example
“The man leered at the young girl”
WAYS OF LOOKING
CAREFULLY
Browse
Look throught the pages from a book or magazine;
Look at the goods in a shop without really wanting
to buy anything.
For example
“Sheila spent all the afternoon browsing the
boutiques”
SCRUTINIZE
Examine thoroughly and carefully
For example
“John scrutinized the painting at the museum”
 a ll
Look
direc
tl y or
Ey e b Fo r e
xamp
l e
close
ly
“Fran
cis ey
wom e
an at balled a b
t he p
arty” eautiful
IDIOMS
 CAST AN EYE ON/OVER
SOMETHING

Look at something; Examine simething

For example
“Laura casted an eye over the the chess board while Mark was
playing”
A watch out
When you watch carefully or look for someone or
something
For example
“Keep a watch out for Nicki and Steve - they should
be here somewhere.”
 ALL EYES ARE ON SOMEBODY
OR SOMETHING

If all eyes are on someone or something, everyone is watching that

person or thing and waiting to see what will happen
For example
“All eyes are on the Prime Minister to see how he will respond to the
challenge to his leadership”
 BE ALL EYES

To watch someone or something with a lot of interest

For example
“We were all eyes as the Princess emerged from the car.”
Before your very eyes

While you are watching

For example

“Then, before my very eyes, she disappeared”

BORE INTO SOMEBODY
If someone's eyes bore into you, they look at you very hard and make you
feel nervous.
For example
“The teacher’s eyes bore into me that I couldn’t finish my exam”
 BREATHE DOWN SB’S NECK

to stay close to someone, watching everything that they do

For example
“It's awful having a boss who breathes down your neck all the time.”
 Discern
to see, recognize or understand something
that is not clear
For example
“I could just discern a figure in the
darkness.”
Eye
to look at someone or something with interest
For example
“I could see her eyeing my lunch”
 EYE SOMEBODY UP

To ogle at
For example
“That guy in the grey jacket has been eyeing you up all evening.”
Eye contact

When two people look at each other's eyes at the same

time
For example
“If you're telling the truth, why are you avoiding eye
contact with me?”
Eyes meet
Eye contact
For example
“Their eyes met across a crowded room.”
Fall on/upon something

If your eyes fall on something, or your sight, eyes, etc. falls

on something, you see and notice it
For example
“Her gaze fell upon a small box at the back of the shop.”
 To lo
ok at

on
some some

i ng
t hin g o ne o
e ye s enjoy with r
ment great
me th Fo r e
xamp
l e
y ou r

“As y
or s o

ou cr
feast ui se t
y ou r he wa
gorge eyes terwa
Feast

ou s v o n th e ys,
bo d y

i ll u m iews
inate of t he
d city
”
s om e
FIX To keep someone or something in sight
For example
“His eyes were fixed on the distant yacht.”
FOCUS YOUR EYES

If you focus your eyes, or if your eyes focus, you

try to look directly at an object so that you can see
it more clearly
For example
“When they first took the bandages off, she/her
eyes couldn't focus properly (= she couldn't see
clearly).”
 Get a load of that!
A slang used to tell someone to pay attention to a
person or thing that is interesting, surprising or
attractive
For example
“Get a load of that, lads! Very nice.”
To look at something or someone
For example
“Hey! Get an eyeful of this”

Get an eyeful
Have a butcher’s
An UK old-fashioned slang that means to
look at something
“Let's have a butcher's at your present,
then”
Keep your eyes peeled/skinned
To watch carefully for someone or
something
For example
“Keep your eyes peeled for Polly and
Maisie.”
To watch something or someone carefully
For example
“I like to keep tabs on my bank account so that I don't
overdraw”

Keep tabs on somebody

or something
LOOK ON
to watch something happen but not become involved in it
For example
“A large crowd looked on as the band played.”
 To try to notice someone or something
For example
“Look out for Anna While you’re there”

Look out for somebody or

something
 Look-see

A quick look
For example
"Have they arrived yet?" "I'll take a look-see".
 PERCEIVE

To see something or someone, or to notice something that is obvious

For example
“I perceived a note of unhappiness in her voice”
 Not take yor eyes off
somebody or something
To not stop looking at someone or something
For example
“He was so handsome - I couldn't take my eyes off
him.”
Out of/From the corner of your eye

If you see something out of/from the

corner of your eye, you see it but not
clearly because it happens to the side of
you
For example
“I saw something move out of the
corner of my eye.”
Pick up on something
To notice something that other people have not
noticed
For example
“Only one newspaper picked up on the minister's
statement.”
 I f yo u
r eye
or so s rest
d y or
meon on so

t h in g
l oo ki e w h en yo m ethin
ng ar u g
start o
looki und an are are
me b o
partic ng on a, y o
so m e
ular o ly at u
b j e that
Fo r e c t or pe
xamp rson
“Her l e
on so

eyes
wood rested
en bo on a
sh op” x at t s
he ba mall
ck of
R es t

t he
 SPY

A person who secretly collects and reports information about the

activities of another country or organization

For example

“The government have been spying us for months”

Seeing is believing

said to mean that if you see something yourself, you will

believe it to exist or be true, despite the fact that it is
extremely unusual or unexpected
For example
"I never thought Simon would get out of bed before
lunchtime on a Saturday, but seeing is believing!"
Sidelong
Describes a short look at someone or something, moving your
eyes to the side, and not looking directly.
For example
“He gave her a sidelong glance”
To stand close to someone and watch what
they are doing
For example
“Don't stand over me all the time - it makes
me nervous.”

Stand over somebody

 Surveillance
The careful watching of a person or place,
especially by the police or army, because of a
crime that has happened or is expected
For example
“The police have kept the nightclub under
surveillance because of suspected illegal drug
activity.”
 Survey

To look at or examine all of something, especially

carefully
For example
“He got out of the car to survey the damage”
 TAKE SOMETHING IN

To go to watch a film or performance, or to visit a place such as

a museum
For example
“I thought we might get something to eat and then take in a
movie”
Watch the world go by
To look at people as they go past
For example
“I love sitting in outdoor cafes watching the world go by.”
Be witness to something
To see something happen
For example
She was witness to the tragic event.