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look Meaning & Definition

/lʊk/

What Does Look Mean?

Look is used as a verb meaning To try to see, to pay attention to with one’s eyes. It can also mean As an intransitive verb, often with "at". As an interjection, it means Pay attention. As a noun, it means The action of looking; an attempt to see.

Look in Brief

Part of speechverb, interjection, noun
Pronunciation//lʊk//
Syllables1
Synonymsaspect, spirit and see
Antonymsback
Plurallooks
Verb formslooks, looking, looked

Look Definition (Verb)

  1. To try to see, to pay attention to with one’s eyes.

    They kept looking at me.

  2. As an intransitive verb, often with "at".

    They kept looking at me.

  3. As a transitive verb, often in the imperative; chiefly takes relative clause as direct object.

    Look what you did to him!

  4. To appear, to seem.

    It looks as if it’s going to rain soon. or It looks like it’s going to rain soon. or It looks like rain [is coming].

  5. To give an appearance of being.

    What a fright you looked in that hideous outfit.

  6. To search for, to try to find.
  7. To face or present a view.

    The hotel looks over the valleys of the Hindu Kush.

  8. To expect or anticipate.

    I look to each hour for my lover’s arrival.

  9. To express or manifest by a look.
  10. To make sure of, to see to.
  11. To show oneself in looking; to peep out.
  12. To check, to make sure (of something).
  13. To look at; to turn the eyes toward.
  14. To seek; to search for.

    She doesn't like to look inside and face up to what she's really like.

  15. To influence, overawe, or subdue by looks or presence.

    to look down opposition

  16. To look at a pitch as a batter without swinging at it.

    The fastball caught him looking.

Look as an Interjection

  1. Pay attention.

    Look, I'm going to explain what to do, so you have to listen closely.

Look as a Noun

  1. The action of looking; an attempt to see.

    Let’s have a look under the hood of the car.

  2. Physical appearance, visual impression.

    She got her mother’s looks.

  3. A facial expression.

    He gave me a dirty look.

Synonyms of Look

Look synonyms and antonyms →

Antonyms of Look

Look in a Sentence

They kept looking at me.

Don’t look in the closet.

Look what you did to him!

Look who's back!

It looks as if it’s going to rain soon. or It looks like it’s going to rain soon. or It looks like rain [is coming].

Our new boss looks to be friendly.

It looks as if [or like] I'm stuck with you.

He always looks like scoring a goal if not two.

What a fright you looked in that hideous outfit.

That painting looks nice.

You’re looking worried. Whaddya thinking about?

You looked a fool when you slipped on a banana peel.

You didn't use to look so dismal, but now you look/are looking positively unhappy.

The hotel looks over the valleys of the Hindu Kush.

I look to each hour for my lover’s arrival.

She doesn't like to look inside and face up to what she's really like.

to look down opposition

The fastball caught him looking.

Clem Labine struck Mays out looking at his last at bat.

It's unusual for Mays to strike out looking. He usually takes a cut at it.

Look, I'm going to explain what to do, so you have to listen closely.

Let’s have a look under the hood of the car.

She got her mother’s looks.

I don’t like the look of the new design.

He gave me a dirty look.

If looks could kill ...

Word Forms & Grammar

look (third-person singular simple present looks, present participle looking, simple past and past participle looked)

look

look (plural looks)

Words That Rhyme With Look

Origin of Look

From Middle English loken, lokien, from Old English lōcian, from Proto-West Germanic *lōkōn. Further origin unknown, no certain cognates outside Germanic.[1] Cognate with Scots luke, luik, leuk (“to look, see”), West Frisian lôkje, loaitsje (“to look”), Dutch loeken (“to look”), German Low German löken. Likely also related to German lugen (“to peek”), Alemannic German luege (“to look”), Yiddish לוגן (lugn).

Look Pronunciation

Look is pronounced //lʊk// and has 1 syllable.

Quick Answers About Look

Is look a verb or an interjection?

Look is mainly used as a verb, but it can also be used as an interjection and a noun.

What is another word for look?

You can replace look with words such as aspect, spirit and see. See the full list of look synonyms and antonyms.

What is the opposite of look?

The opposite of look is back.

What is the plural of look?

The plural of look is looks.

What is the past tense of look?

The past tense of look is looked. The present participle is looking.

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