look [1] (looks plural & 3rd person present) (looking present participle) (looked past tense & past participle ) (USING YOUR EYES OR YOUR MIND)
Please look at category 14 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1 verb If you look in a particular direction, you direct your eyes in that direction, especially so that you can see what is there or see what something is like.
I looked down the hallway to room number nine... V prep/adv
She turned to look at him... V prep/adv
He looked away, apparently enraged... V prep/adv
If you look, you'll see what was a lake. V
Look is also a noun., n-sing
Lucille took a last look in the mirror..., Assisi has a couple of churches that are worth a look if you have time.
2 verb If you look at a book, newspaper, or magazine, you read it fairly quickly or read part of it.
You've just got to look at the last bit of Act Three. V at n
Look is also a noun., n-sing oft N at n
A quick look at Monday's British newspapers shows that there's plenty of interest in foreign news.
3 verb If someone, especially an expert, looks at something, they examine it, and then deal with it or say how it should be dealt with.
Can you look at my back? I think something's wrong. V at n, Also V
Look is also a noun., n-sing usu N at n
The car has not been running very well and a mechanic had to come over to have a look at it.
4 verb If you look at someone in a particular way, you look at them with your expression showing what you are feeling or thinking.
She looked at him earnestly. `You don't mind?' V at n adv/prep
Look is also a noun., n-count usu with supp, oft adj N, N of n
He gave her a blank look, as if he had no idea who she was..., Sally spun round, a feigned look of surprise on her face.
5 verb If you look for something, for example something that you have lost, you try to find it.
I'm looking for a child. I believe your husband can help me find her... V for n
I had gone to Maine looking for a place to work... V for n
I looked everywhere for ideas... V prep/adv for n
Have you looked on the piano? V prep/adv
Look is also a noun., n-sing
Go and have another look.
6 verb If you are looking for something such as the solution to a problem or a new method, you want it and are trying to obtain it or think of it.
(=seek)
The working group will be looking for practical solutions to the problems faced by doctors... V for n
7 verb If you look at a subject, problem, or situation, you think about it or study it, so that you know all about it and can perhaps consider what should be done in relation to it.
(=examine, consider)
Next term we'll be looking at the Second World War period... V at n
He visited Florida a few years ago looking at the potential of the area to stage a big match. V at n
Look is also a noun., n-sing oft N at n
A close look at the statistics reveals a troubling picture.
8 verb If you look at a person, situation, or subject from a particular point of view, you judge them or consider them from that point of view.
Brian had learned to look at her with new respect... V at n prep/adv
It depends how you look at it. V at n prep/adv
9 convention You say look when you want someone to pay attention to you because you are going to say something important.
Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it..., Now, look, here is how things stand.
10 verb You can use look to draw attention to a particular situation, person, or thing, for example because you find it very surprising, significant, or annoying.
only imper
Hey, look at the time! We'll talk about it tonight. All right?... V at n
Look what a mess you've made of your life. V wh
11 verb If something such as a building or window looks somewhere, it has a view of a particular place.
The castle looks over private parkland... V prep
Look out means the same as look ., phrasal verb
We sit on the terrace, which looks out on the sea. V P prep
12 verb If you are looking to do something, you are aiming to do it.
We're not looking to make a fortune. V to-inf
13 If you say or shout `look out!' to someone, you are warning them that they are in danger.
look out exclam
`Look out!' somebody shouted, as the truck started to roll toward the sea.
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to look down your nose at someone
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nose look after
1 phrasal verb If you look after someone or something, you do what is necessary to keep them healthy, safe, or in good condition.
I love looking after the children... V P n
People don't look after other people's property in the same way as they look after their own. V P n
2 phrasal verb If you look after something, you are responsible for it and deal with it or make sure it is all right, especially because it is your job to do so.
...the farm manager who looks after the day-to-day organization... V P n
We'll help you look after your finances. V P n look ahead phrasal verb If you look ahead, you think about what is going to happen in the future and perhaps make plans for the future.
I'm trying to look ahead at what might happen and be ready to handle it. V P look around phrasal verb
in BRIT, also use look round If you look around or look round a building or place, you walk round it and look at the different parts of it.
We went to look round the show homes... V P n
I'm going to look around and see what I can find. V P look back phrasal verb If you look back, you think about things that happened in the past.
Looking back, I am staggered how easily it was all arranged. V P look down on phrasal verb To look down on someone means to consider that person to be inferior or unimportant, usually when this is not true.
I wasn't successful, so they looked down on me. V P P n look forward to
1 phrasal verb If you look forward to something that is going to happen, you want it to happen because you think you will enjoy it.
He was looking forward to working with the new Prime Minister. V P P -ing/n
2 phrasal verb If you say that someone is looking forward to something useful or positive, you mean they expect it to happen.
Motor traders are looking forward to a further increase in vehicle sales. V P P n look into phrasal verb If a person or organization is looking into a possible course of action, a problem, or a situation, they are finding out about it and examining the facts relating to it.
(=investigate)
He had once looked into buying his own island off Nova Scotia... V P -ing/n look on phrasal verb If you look on while something happens, you watch it happening without taking part yourself.
(=watch)
About 150 local people looked on in silence as the two coffins were taken into the church. V P look on , look upon phrasal verb If you look on or look upon someone or something in a particular way, you think of them in that way.
(=consider)
A lot of people looked on him as a healer... V P n as n
A lot of people look on it like that... V P n prep/adv
Employers look favourably on applicants who have work experience. V adv P n look out
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look 11 look out for phrasal verb If you look out for something, you pay attention to things so that you notice it if or when it occurs.
(=watch for)
Look out for special deals... V P P n look over phrasal verb If you look something over, you examine it quite quickly in order to get a general idea of what it is like.
They presented their draft to the president, who looked it over, nodded and signed it... V n P
He could have looked over the papers in less than ten minutes. V P n (not pron) look round
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look around look through
1 phrasal verb If you look through a group of things, you examine each one so that you can find or choose the one that you want.
(=go through)
Peter starts looking through the mail as soon as the door shuts. V P n
2 phrasal verb If you look through something that has been written or printed, you read it.
He happened to be looking through the medical book `Gray's Anatomy' at the time. V P n look to
1 phrasal verb If you look to someone or something for a particular thing that you want, you expect or hope that they will provide it.
The difficulties women encounter with their doctors partly explain why so many of us are looking to alternative therapies. V P n
2 phrasal verb If you look to something that will happen in the future, you think about it.
Looking to the future, though, we asked him what the prospects are for a vaccine to prevent infection in the first place. V P n look up
1 phrasal verb If you look up a fact or a piece of information, you find it out by looking in something such as a reference book or a list.
I looked your address up in the personnel file... V n P
Many people have to look up the meaning of this word in the dictionary. V P n (not pron)
2 phrasal verb If you look someone up, you visit them after not having seen them for a long time.
(=visit)
I'll try to look him up, ask him a few questions... V n P
She looked up some friends of bygone years. V P n (not pron)
3 phrasal verb If a situation is looking up, it is improving.
INFORMAL usu cont
(=improve)
Things could be looking up in the computer industry. V P look upon
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look on look up to phrasal verb If you look up to someone, especially someone older than you, you respect and admire them.
(=admire)
You're a popular girl, Grace, and a lot of the younger ones look up to you. V P P n
