Look

Look - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

LOOK, v.i. [See Light. The primary sense is to stretch, to extend, to shoot, hence to direct the eye. We observe its primary sense is nearly the same as that of seek. Hence, to look for is to seek.]

1. To direct the eye towards an object, with the intention of seeing it.

When the object is within sight, look is usually followed by on or at. We look on or at a picture; we look on or at the moon; we cannot look on or at the unclouded sun, without pain.

At, after look, is not used in our version of the Scriptures. In common usage, at or on is now used indifferently in many cases, and yet in other cases, usage has established a preference. In general, on is used in the more solemn forms of expression. Moses was afraid to look on God. The Lord look on you and judge. In these and similar phrases, the use of at would be condemned, as expressing too little solemnity.

In some cases, at seems to be more properly used before very distant objects; but the cases can hardly be defined.

The particular direction of the eye is expressed by various modifying words; as, to look down, to look up, to look back to look forward, to look from, to look round, to look out, to look under. When the object is not in sight, look is followed by after, or for. Hence, to look after, or look for, is equivalent to seek or search, or to expect.

2. To see; to have the sight or view of.

Fate sees thy life lodged in a brittle glass, and looks it through, but to it cannot pass.

3. To direct the intellectual eye; to apply the mind or understanding; to consider; to examine. Look at the conduct of this man; view it in all its aspects. Let every man look into the state of his own heart. Let us look beyond the received notions of men on this subject.

4. To expect.

He must look to fight another battle, before he could reach Oxford. [Little used.

5. To take care; to watch.

Look that ye bind them fast.

6. To be directed.

Let thine eyes look right on. Prov 4.

7. To seem; to appear; to have a particular appearance. The patient looks better than he did. The clouds look rainy.

I am afraid it would look more like vanity than gratitude.

Observe how such a practice looks in another person.

So we say, to look stout or big; to look peevish; to look pleasant or graceful.

8. To have a particular direction or situation; to face; to front.

The gate that looketh toward the north. Ezek 8.

The east gate of the Lord's house, that looketh eastward. Ezek 11.

To look about, to look on all sides, or in different directions.

To look about one, to be on the watch; to be vigilant; to be circumspect or guarded.

1. To look after, to attend; to take care of; as, to look after children.

2. To expect; to be in a state of expectation.

Men's hearts falling them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth. Luke 21.

3. To seek; to search.

My subject does not oblige me to look after the water, or point forth the place whereunto it has now retreated.

1. To look for, to expect; as, to look for news by the arrival of a ship.

Look now for no enchanting voice.

2. To seek; to search; as, to look for lost money, or lost cattle.

To look into, to inspect closely; to observe narrowly; to examine; as, to look into the works of nature; to look into the conduct of another; to look into one's affairs.

Which things the angels desire to look into. 1 Pet 1.

1. To look on, to regard; to esteem.

Her friends would look on her the worse.

2. To consider; to view; to conceive of; to think.

I looked on Virgil as a succinct, majestic writer.

3. To be a mere spectator.

I'll be a candle-holder and look on.

To look over, to examine one by one; as, to look over a catalogue of books; to look over accounts.

To overlook, has a different sense, to pass over without seeing.

To look out, to be on the watch. The seaman looks out for breakers.

1. To look to, or unto, to watch; to take care of.

Look well to thy herds. Prov 27.

2. To resort to with confidence or expectation of receiving something; to expect to receive from. The creditor may look to the surety for payment.

Look to me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth. Isa 45.

To look through, to penetrate with the eye, or with the understanding; to see or understand perfectly.

LOOK, v.t.

1. To seek; to search for.

Looking my love, I go from place to place. Obs.

2. To influence by looks or presence; as, to look down opposition.

A spirit fit to start into an empire, and look the world to law.

To look out, to search for and discover. Look out associates of good reputation.

To look one another in the face, to meet for combat.

2 Ki 14.

LOOK, in the imperative, is used to excite attention or notice. Look ye, look you; that is see, behold, observe, take notice.

LOOK, n.

1. Cast of countenance; air of the face; aspect; as, a high look is an index of pride; a downcast look is an index of pride; a downcast look indicates modesty, bashfulness, or depression of mind.

Pain, disgrace and poverty have frightful looks.

2. The act of looking or seeing. Every look filled him with anguish.

3. View; watch.

look:

(1) The uses of the simple verb in English Versions of the Bible are nearly all good modern English. In Isa 5:2, however, "He looked that it should bring forth grapes"--"look" is used in the sense of "expect." Compare the King James Version of Sirach 20:14; Ac 28:6, "They looked when he should have swollen" (the Revised Version (British and American) "They expected that he would have swollen"). In 1 Macc 4:54, the King James Version has inserted "look" (omitted in the Revised Version (British and American)) as a simple interjection, without a corresponding word in the Greek

(2) "Look upon" means "fix one's attention on," and is often so used in English Versions of the Bible without further significance (Ec 2:11; Lu 22:56, etc.); but in 2Ch 24:22 the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American), "Yahweh look upon it" means "remember." However, continual attention given to an object usually denotes that pleasure is found in it, and from this fact such uses as those of Pr 23:31, "Look not thou upon the wine when it is red," are derived. In particular, God's "looking upon" a person becomes a synonym for "showing favor unto," as in De 26:7 the King James Version; Ps 84:9 the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American); Ps 119:132 the King James Version; Lu 1:48 the Revised Version (British and American) only, etc. (the Revised Version (British and American) usually, re-words, in such passages). On the other hand, "look on" may be weakened, as in such phrases as "fair to look unon" (Ge 12:11 etc.), where it means only "fair to the sight." Or as in modern English, "look on" may describe the attitude of the passive spectator, even when applied to God. So Ps 35:17, "Lord, how long wilt thou look on?"

(3) "Look to" usually means "pay attention to," as in Pr 14:15; Jer 39:12; 2 Joh 1:8, etc., and the Revised Version (British and American) occasionally uses this phrase in place of AV's "look upon" (Php 2:4). The reverse change is made in the King James Version's 1Sa 16:12, "goodly to look to"; Eze 23:15, "all of them princes to look to," but in the latter verse a more drastic revision was needed, for the meaning is "all of them in appearance as princes." "Look out" may mean "search for" (Ge 41:33; Ac 6:3), but may also be used literally, (Ge 26:8, etc.). The King James Version's "looking after those things" in Lu 21:26 has been changed by the Revised Version (British and American) into "expectation of the things." "Look one another in the face" in 2Ki 14:8,11 means "meet in battle."

Burton Scott Easton