see

Word Origin & History

Old English seon "to see, look, behold; observe, perceive, understand; experience, visit, inspect" (contracted class V strong verb; past tense seah, past participle sewen), from Proto-Germanic *sekhwanan (cf. Old Saxon, Old High German sehan, Middle High German, German sehen, Old Frisian sia, Middle Dutch sien, Old Norse sja, Gothic saihwan), from PIE root *sekw- (2) "to see," which is probably identical with *sekw- (1) "to follow" (see sequel), a root which produced words for "say" in Greek and Latin, and also words for "follow" (cf. Latin sequor), but "opinions differ in regard to the semantic starting-point and sequences" [Buck]. Thus see might originally mean "follow with the eyes."

Used in Middle English to mean "behold in the imagination or in a dream" (c.1200), "to recognize the force of (a demonstration)," also c.1200. Sense of "escort" (e.g. to see someone home) first recorded 1607 in Shakespeare. Meaning "to receive as a visitor" is attested from c.1500. Gambling sense of "equal a bet" is from 1590s. See you as a casual farewell first attested 1891. Let me see as a pausing statement is recorded from 1510s. To have seen everything as a hyperbolic expression of astonishment is from 1957.

Example Sentences for see

Take it at once, and tell her I shall be up to see her presently.

Here we see but a few of the last links, and those imperfectly.

I confess, Eudora, it pained me to see you listen to his idle flattery.

I see some man in the East has a fad for breaking the ice in the river and going swimming.

If it may be avoided, I will not see the whole of your youth consumed in anxious watchings.

I can show you people all right that won't ask to see your union card.

At length the servant returned, saying his master was now ready to see them.

"Oh, I see," said the younger Milbrey—his face clearing all at once.

I could see she was annoyed and a little worried, because he was past taking notice.

See how their shining hair sparkles on the surface of the waters!

see

come by

comes by

coming by

comprehend

comprehending

consider

contemplate

contemplated

see

More words related to see