Word Study
sight
CIDE DICTIONARY
sight, n. [OE. sight, si, siht, AS. siht, gesiht, gesih, gesieh, gesyh; akin to D. gezicht, G. sicht, gesicht, Dan. sigte, Sw. sigt, from the root of E. see. See See, v. t. ].
- The act of seeing; perception of objects by the eye; view; as, to gain sight of land. [1913 Webster]"A cloud received him out of their sight." [1913 Webster]
- The power of seeing; the faculty of vision, or of perceiving objects by the instrumentality of the eyes. [1913 Webster]"Thy sight is young,
And thou shalt read when mine begin to dazzle." [1913 Webster]"O loss of sight, of thee I most complain!" [1913 Webster] - The state of admitting unobstructed vision; visibility; open view; region which the eye at one time surveys; space through which the power of vision extends; as, an object within sight. [1913 Webster]
- A spectacle; a view; a show; something worth seeing. [1913 Webster]"Moses said, I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt." [1913 Webster]"They never saw a sight so fair." [1913 Webster]
- The instrument of seeing; the eye. [1913 Webster]"Why cloud they not their sights?" [1913 Webster]
- Inspection; examination; as, a letter intended for the sight of only one person. [1913 Webster]
- Mental view; opinion; judgment; as, in their sight it was harmless. Wake. [1913 Webster]"That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." [1913 Webster]
- A small aperture or optical device through which objects are to be seen, and by which their direction is settled or ascertained; -- used on surveying instruments; as, the sight of a quadrant. [1913 Webster]"Thier eyes of fire sparking through sights of steel." [1913 Webster]
- An optical device or small piece of metal, fixed or movable, on the breech, muzzle, center, or trunnion of a gun, or on the breech and the muzzle of a rifle, pistol, etc., by means of which the eye is guided in aiming. A telescope mounted on a weapon, such as a rifle, and used for accurate aiming at distant targets is called a
telescopic sight . Farrow. [1913 Webster] - In a drawing, picture, etc., that part of the surface, as of paper or canvas, which is within the frame or the border or margin. In a frame or the like, the open space, the opening. [1913 Webster]
- A great number, quantity, or sum; as, a sight of money. [1913 Webster]" Sight in this last sense was formerly employed in the best usage. “A sight of lawyers.”" Latimer. [1913 Webster]"A wonder sight of flowers." [1913 Webster]
Syn. -- Vision; view; show; spectacle; representation; exhibition.
sight, v. t.
- To get sight of; to see; as, to sight land; to sight a wreck. Kane. [1913 Webster]
- To look at through a sight; to see accurately; as, to sight an object, as a star. [1913 Webster]
- To apply sights to; to adjust the sights of; also, to give the proper elevation and direction to by means of a sight; as, to sight a rifle or a cannon. [1913 Webster]
sight, v. i.
To take aim by a sight. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
sight, n. & v.
--n.
1 a the faculty of seeing with the eyes (lost his sight). b the act or an instance of seeing; the state of being seen.
2 a thing seen; a display, show, or spectacle (not a pretty sight; a beautiful sight).
3 a way of looking at or considering a thing (in my sight he can do no wrong).
4 a range of space within which a person etc. can see or an object be seen (he's out of sight; they are just coming into sight).
5 (usu. in pl.) noteworthy features of a town, area, etc. (went to see the sights).
6 a a device on a gun or optical instrument used for assisting the precise aim or observation. b the aim or observation so gained (got a sight of him).
7 colloq. a person or thing having a ridiculous, repulsive, or dishevelled appearance (looked a perfect sight).
8 colloq. a great quantity (will cost a sight of money; is a sight better than he was).
--v.tr.
1 get sight of, esp. by approaching (they sighted land).
2 observe the presence of (esp. aircraft, animals, etc.) (sighted buffalo).
3 take observations of (a star etc.) with an instrument.
4 a provide (a gun, quadrant, etc.) with sights. b adjust the sight of (a gun etc.). c aim (a gun etc.) with sights.
--n.
1 a the faculty of seeing with the eyes (lost his sight). b the act or an instance of seeing; the state of being seen.
2 a thing seen; a display, show, or spectacle (not a pretty sight; a beautiful sight).
3 a way of looking at or considering a thing (in my sight he can do no wrong).
4 a range of space within which a person etc. can see or an object be seen (he's out of sight; they are just coming into sight).
5 (usu. in pl.) noteworthy features of a town, area, etc. (went to see the sights).
6 a a device on a gun or optical instrument used for assisting the precise aim or observation. b the aim or observation so gained (got a sight of him).
7 colloq. a person or thing having a ridiculous, repulsive, or dishevelled appearance (looked a perfect sight).
8 colloq. a great quantity (will cost a sight of money; is a sight better than he was).
--v.tr.
1 get sight of, esp. by approaching (they sighted land).
2 observe the presence of (esp. aircraft, animals, etc.) (sighted buffalo).
3 take observations of (a star etc.) with an instrument.
4 a provide (a gun, quadrant, etc.) with sights. b adjust the sight of (a gun etc.). c aim (a gun etc.) with sights.
Idiom
at first sight on first glimpse or impression. at (or on) sight as soon as a person or a thing has been seen (plays music at sight; liked him on sight). catch (or lose) sight of begin (or cease) to see or be aware of. get a sight of manage to see; glimpse. have lost sight of no longer know the whereabouts of. in sight
1 visible.
2 near at hand (salvation is in sight). in (or within) sight of so as to see or be seen from. lower one's sights become less ambitious.
out of my sight! go at once! out of sight
1 not visible.
2 colloq. excellent; delightful. out of sight out of mind we forget the absent. put out of sight hide, ignore. set one's sights on aim at (set her sights on a directorship). sight for the gods (or sight for sore eyes) a welcome person or thing, esp. a visitor. sight-glass a transparent device for observing the interior of apparatus etc. sighting shot an experimental shot to guide riflemen in adjusting their sights. sight-line a hypothetical line from a person's eye to what is seen. sight-read (past and past part. -read) read and perform (music) at sight. sight-reader a person who sight-reads. sight-screen Cricket a large white screen on wheels placed near the boundary in line with the wicket to help the batsman see the ball. sight-sing sing (music) at sight. sight unseen without previous inspection.
1 visible.
2 near at hand (salvation is in sight). in (or within) sight of so as to see or be seen from. lower one's sights become less ambitious.
out of my sight! go at once! out of sight
1 not visible.
2 colloq. excellent; delightful. out of sight out of mind we forget the absent. put out of sight hide, ignore. set one's sights on aim at (set her sights on a directorship). sight for the gods (or sight for sore eyes) a welcome person or thing, esp. a visitor. sight-glass a transparent device for observing the interior of apparatus etc. sighting shot an experimental shot to guide riflemen in adjusting their sights. sight-line a hypothetical line from a person's eye to what is seen. sight-read (past and past part. -read) read and perform (music) at sight. sight-reader a person who sight-reads. sight-screen Cricket a large white screen on wheels placed near the boundary in line with the wicket to help the batsman see the ball. sight-sing sing (music) at sight. sight unseen without previous inspection.
Derivative
sighter n.
Etymology
OE (ge)sihth
THESAURUS
sight
Anschauung, aim, aim at, airscape, amazement, angle, angle of vision, assumption, astonishing thing, astonishment, atrocity, attitude, awe-inspiring, baboon, bag, barrel, basis, batch, behold, bend, blemish, blot, bombsight, brilliant, catch sight of, chromesthesia, cityscape, clap eyes on, clear sight, climate of opinion, cloudscape, color hearing, color vision, command, common belief, community sentiment, conceit, concept, conception, conclusion, cone vision, consensus gentium, considerable, consideration, cool, cosmorama, curiosity, cyclorama, day vision, daylight vision, deal, dekko, descry, determine, diorama, direct, directionize, disaster, discern, discernment, discover, display, distant, distinguish, dog, domination, espy, estimate, estimation, ethos, exception, exhibit, exhibition, exposition, extraordinary, eye, eye-mindedness, eyeful, eyereach, eyes, eyeshot, eyesight, eyesore, farsight, farsightedness, feeling, field of view, field of vision, finder, five senses, fix, fix on, footing, frame of reference, framework, fright, gargoyle, gaze, gazingstock, general belief, georama, glance at, glimpse, glom, gobs, good deal, great deal, hag, harridan, have in sight, heap, heaps, hearing, hold on, horizon, idea, identify, imaginative, imperceptible, impression, incredible, invisible, jolting, judgment, keen sight, ken, landscape, lashings, lay eyes on, leaf sight, leer, leering look, level at, light, light show, lights, limit of vision, line of sight, loads, look, look on, look upon, look-in, lookout, lot, lots, lump, lustful leer, make out, mark, marvel, marvelment, mass, mental outlook, mess, mind, mint, miracle, monster, monstrosity, moving, much, myriorama, mystique, naked eye, neat, night vision, no beauty, nonesuch, note, notice, notion, observation, observe, oodles, open sight, opinion, out of sight, outlook, outlook over, outrageous, pack, pageant, pageantry, panorama, panoramic sight, parade, peck, peek, peep, peep sight, peer, perceive, perception, peripheral field, peripheral vision, personal judgment, perspective, perspicacity, perspicuity, phantasmagoria, phenomenon, phonism, photism, photopia, pick out, pile, piles, pipe, place, point, point at, point of view, point to, pomp, popular belief, position, posture, pot, power, power of sight, present, presentation, presumption, prevailing belief, preview, prodigy, prospect, psychedelic show, public belief, public opinion, purview, quick sight, quite a little, quite a thing, raft, rafts, range, rare, rarity, reaction, receptor, recognize, reference system, regard, remark, remote, representation, respect, riverscape, rod vision, scads, scan, scape, scarecrow, scene, scenery, scenic view, scope, scope of vision, scotopia, seascape, see, seeing, sensation, sense of sight, sense organ, senses, sensillum, sensorium, sensory organ, sentiment, set, shifting scene, shocking, show, side, sidelong look, sight on, sightedness, sighthole, sightliness, situation, sixth sense, skyscape, slant, slew, slews, sly look, smell, something else, spate, spectacle, spot, spy, stack, stacks, stage show, stance, stand, standpoint, stunner, survey, sweep, synesthesia, system, tableau, tableau vivant, take aim, take in, taste, teratism, theory, thinking, thought, tidy sum, touch, townscape, train, train upon, turn, turn upon, twig, twilight vision, ugly duckling, universe, unobstructed vision, unreal, unseeable, unusual, view, viewfinder, viewpoint, vision, vista, visual acuity, visual field, visual sense, wad, wads, waterscape, way of thinking, whole slew, witch, witness, wonder, wonderful thing, wondermentROGET THESAURUS
sight
Greatness
N greatness, magnitude, size, multitude, immensity, enormity, infinity, might, strength, intensity, fullness, importance, great quantity, quantity, deal, power, sight, pot, volume, world, mass, heap, stock, peck, bushel, load, cargo, cartload, wagonload, shipload, flood, spring tide, abundance, principal part, chief part, main part, greater part, major part, best part, essential part, bulk, mass, great, greater, large, considerable, fair, above par, big, huge, Herculean, cyclopean, ample, abundant, full, intense, strong, sound, passing, heavy, plenary, deep, high, signal, at its height, in the zenith, world-wide, widespread, far-famed, extensive, wholesale, many, goodly, noble, precious, mighty, sad, grave, heavy, serious, far gone, arrant, downright, utter, uttermost, crass, gross, arch, profound, intense, consummate, rank, uninitiated, red-hot, desperate, glaring, flagrant, stark staring, thorough-paced, thoroughgoing, roaring, thumping, extraordinary, important, unsurpassed, complete, august, grand, dignified, sublime, majestic, vast, immense, enormous, extreme, inordinate, excessive, extravagant, exorbitant, outrageous, preposterous, unconscionable, swinging, monstrous, overgrown, towering, stupendous, prodigious, astonishing, incredible, marvelous, unlimited, unapproachable, unutterable, indescribable, ineffable, unspeakable, inexpressible, beyond expression, fabulous, undiminished, unabated, unreduced, unrestricted, absolute, positive, stark, decided, unequivocal, essential, perfect, finished, remarkable, of mark, marked, pointed, veriest, noteworthy, renowned, truly, decidedly, unequivocally, purely, absolutely, seriously, essentially, fundamentally, radically, downright, in all conscience, for the most part, in the main, entirely, abundantly, widely, far and wide, greatly, much, muckle, well, indeed, very, very much, a deal, no end of, most, not a little, pretty, pretty well, enough, in a great measure, richly, to a large extent, to a great extent, to a gigantic extent, on a large scale, so, never so, ever so, ever so dole, scrap, shred, tag, splinter, rag, much, by wholesale, mighty, powerfully, with a witness, ultra, in the extreme, extremely, exceedingly, intensely, exquisitely, acutely, indefinitely, immeasurably, beyond compare, beyond comparison, beyond measure, beyond all bounds, incalculably, infinitely, preeminently, superlatively, immoderately, monstrously, preposterously, inordinately, exorbitantly, excessively, enormously, out of all proportion, with a vengeance, particularly, remarkably, singularly, curiously, uncommonly, unusually, peculiarly, notably, signally, strikingly, pointedly, mainly, chiefly, famously, egregiously, prominently, glaringly, emphatically, kat exochin, strangely, wonderfully, amazingly, surprisingly, astonishingly, incredibly, marvelously, awfully, stupendously, peculiarly, furiously, severely, desperately, tremendously, extravagantly, confoundedly, deucedly, devilishly, with a vengeance, a outrance, a toute outrance, painfully, sadly, grossly, sorely, bitterly, piteously, grievously, miserably, cruelly, woefully, lamentably, shockingly, frightfully, dreadfully, fearfully, terribly, horribly, a maximis ad minima, greatness knows itself, mightiest powers by deepest calms are fed, minimum decet libere cui multum licet, some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.Multitude
N multitude, numerous, numerosity, numerality, multiplicity, profusion, legion, host, great number, large number, round number, enormous number, a quantity, numbers, array, sight, army, sea, galaxy, scores, peck, bushel, shoal, swarm, draught, bevy, cloud, flock, herd, drove, flight, covey, hive, brood, litter, farrow, fry, nest, crowd, lots, all in the world and his wife, greater number, majority, multiplication, multiple, many, several, sundry, divers, various, not a few, Briarean, a hundred, a thousand, a myriad, a million, a quadrillion, a nonillion, a thousand and one, some ten or a dozen, some forty or fifty, half a dozen, half a hundred, very many, full many, ever so many, numerous, numerose, profuse, in profusion, manifold, multiplied, multitudinous, multiple, multinominal, teeming, populous, peopled, crowded, thick, studded, galore, thick coming, many more, more than one can tell, a world of, no end of, no end to, cum multis aliis, thick as hops, thick as hail, plenty as blackberries, numerous as the stars in the firmament, numerous as the sands on the seashore, numerous as the hairs on the head, and what not, and heaven knows what, endless, their name is 'legion', acervatim, en foule, many- headed multitude, numerous as glittering gems of morning dew, vel prece vel pretio.Ugliness
N ugliness, deformity, inelegance, acomia, disfigurement, want of symmetry, inconcinnity, distortion, squalor, forbidding countenance, vinegar aspect, hanging look, wry face, spretae injuria formae, eyesore, object, witch, hag, figure, sight, fright, monster, dog, woofer, pig, octopus, specter, scarecrow, harridan, satyr, toad, monkey, baboon, Caliban, Aesop, monstrum horrendum informe ingens cui lumen adempt, ugly, ugly as sin, ugly as a toad, ugly as a scarecrow, ugly as a dead monkey, plain, bald (unadorned), homely, ordinary, unornamental, inartistic, unsightly, unseemly, uncomely, unlovely, unshapely, sightless, seemless, not fit to be seen, unbeauteous, unbeautiful, beautiless, semibeautiful, shapeless, misshapen, misproportioned, monstrous, gaunt, dumpy, curtailed of its fair proportions, ill-made, ill- shaped, ill-proportioned, crooked, hard featured, hard visaged, ill-favored, hard-favored, evil-favored, ill-looking, unprepossessing, unattractive, uninviting, unpleasing, graceless, inelegant, ungraceful, ungainly, uncouth, stiff, rugged, rough, gross, rude, awkward, clumsy, slouching, rickety, gawky, lumping, lumpish, lumbering, hulky, hulking, unwieldy, squalid, haggard, grim, grim faced, grim visaged, grisly, ghastly, ghost like, death like, cadaverous, grewsome, gruesome, frightful, hideous, odious, uncanny, forbidding, repellant, repulsive, repugnant, grotesque, bizarre, grody, grody to the max, horrid, horrible, shocking, foul, dingy, gaudy, disfigured, discolored.Prodigy
N prodigy, phenomenon, wonder, wonderment, marvel, miracle, monster, curiosity, lion, sight, spectacle, jeu de theatre, coup de theatre, gazingstock, sign, St. Elmo's fire, St. Elmo's light, portent, bursting of a shell, bursting of a bomb, volcanic eruption, peal of thunder, thunder-clap, thunder-bolt, what no words can paint, wonders of the world, annus mirabilis, dignus vindice nodus, natura il fece e poi roppe la stampa.Vision
N vision, sight, optics, eyesight, view, look, espial, glance, ken, coup d'oeil, glimpse, glint, peep, gaze, stare, leer, perlustration, contemplation, conspection, conspectuity, regard, survey, introspection, reconnaissance, speculation, watch, espionage, espionnage, autopsy, ocular inspection, ocular demonstration, sight-seeing, point of view, gazebo, loophole, belvedere, watchtower, field of view, theater, amphitheater, arena, vista, horizon, commanding view, bird's eye view, periscope, visual organ, organ of vision, eye, naked eye, unassisted eye, retina, pupil, iris, cornea, white, optics, orbs, saucer eyes, goggle eyes, gooseberry eyes, short sight, clear sight, sharp sight, quick sight, eagle sight, piercing sight, penetrating sight, clear glance, sharp glance, quick glance, eagle glance, piercing glance, penetrating glance, clear eye, sharp eye, quick eye, eagle eye, piercing eye, penetrating eye, perspicacity, discernment, catopsis, eagle, hawk, cat, lynx, Argus, evil eye, basilisk, cockatrice, seeing, visual, ocular, optic, optical, ophthalmic, clear-eyesighted, eagle-eyed, hawk-eyed, lynx-eyed, keen- eyed, Argus-eyed, visible, visibly, in sight of, with one's eyes open at sight, at first sight, at a glance, at the first blush, prima facie, Int, look!, the scales falling from one's eyes, an eye like Mars to threaten or command, her eyes are homes of silent prayer, looking before and after, thy rapt soul sitting in thine eyes.VB see, behold, discern, perceive, have in sight, descry, sight, make out, discover, distinguish, recognize, spy, espy, ken, get a sight of, have a sight of, catch a sight of, get a glimpse of, have a glimpse of, catch a glimpse of, command a view of, witness, contemplate, speculate, cast the eyes on, set the eyes on, be a spectator of, look on, see sights, see at a glance, look, view, eye, lift up the eyes, open one's eye, look at, look on, look upon, look over, look about one, look round, survey, scan, inspect, run the eye over, run the eye through, reconnoiter, glance round, glance on, glance over turn one's looks upon, bend one's looks upon, direct the eyes to, turn the eyes on, cast a glance, observe, watch, see with one's own eyes, watch for, peep, peer, pry, take a peep, play at bopeep, look full in the face, look hard at, look intently, strain one's eyes, fix the eyes upon, rivet the eyes upon, stare, gaze, pore over, gloat on, leer, ogle, glare, goggle, cock the eye, squint, gloat, look askance.
Appearance
N appearance, phenomenon, sight, spectacle, show, premonstration, scene, species, view, coup d'oeil, lookout, outlook, prospect, vista, perspective, bird's-eye view, scenery, landscape, picture, tableau, display, exposure, mise en sc ne, rising of the curtain, phantasm, phantom, pageant, spectacle, peep-show, raree-show, gallanty-show, ombres chinoises, magic lantern, phantasmagoria, dissolving views, biograph, cinematograph, moving pictures, panorama, diorama, cosmorama, georama, coup de theatre, jeu de theatre, pageantry, insignia, aspect, angle, phase, phasis, seeming, shape, guise, look, complexion, color, image, mien, air, cast, carriage, port, demeanor, presence, expression, first blush, face of the thing, point of view, light, lineament feature trait lines, outline, outside, contour, face, countenance, physiognomy, visage, phiz, cast of countenance, profile, tournure, cut of one s jib, metoposcopy, outside, apparent, seeming, ostensible, on view, apparently, to all seeming, to all appearance, ostensibly, seemingly, as it seems, on the face of it, prima facie, at the first blush, at first sight, in the eyes of, to the eye, editio princeps.For further exploring for "sight" in Webster Dictionary Online
