Meaning of look in English

look

verb

/lʊk/ us

/lʊk/

look verb (SEE)

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A1 [ I ]

to direct your eyes in order to see:

Look! There's grandma.

look at They looked at the picture and laughed.

Look at all these toys on the floor.

look up She looked up from her book and smiled at me.

I looked out (of) the window.

Look over there - there's a rainbow!

Thesaurus: synonyms, antonyms, and examples

to look at someone or something

lookLook over there! A rainbow!
watchI sat by the window and watched people walking past.
glanceShe glanced around the room to see who was there.
peepShe peeped through the curtains to see what was happening.
peekHe peeked inside the box.
stareDon't stare at people like that - it's rude.

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More examplesFewer examples

She heard a sudden noise behind her, and swung round to look behind her.
I wish you'd look at me when I'm trying to speak to you!
Be careful to look both ways when you cross the road.
She ambled down the street, stopping occasionally to look in the shop windows.
He slid the letter into his pocket while no one was looking.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Using the eyes

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look verb (SEARCH)

A1 [ I ]

to try to find something or someone:

look for I'm looking for my keys.

I looked everywhere, but I couldn't find my glasses.

Have you looked in the dictionary?

I looked down the list but couldn't see his name.

Synonyms

hunt  (SEARCH)
search 
seek (SEARCH) formal

Thesaurus: synonyms, antonyms, and examples

to search for something

searchI've searched everywhere and can't find my passport.
lookShe was looking in her handbag for a pen.
huntI've hunted all over the place but I can't find that book.
rummageHe rummaged through his pockets, looking for his keys.
ferret outThe inspector general has broad powers to ferret out fraud on the state and local level.
combPolice combed the area for evidence.

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More examplesFewer examples

She turned the vase over to look for the price.
You'd have found it if you'd bothered to look.
I bent down to look under the bed.
She ran her finger down the list, looking for her name.
There's that book you were looking for.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Searching

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look verb (SEEM)

A2 [ L, I usually + adv/prep ]

to appear or seem:

You look well!

The roads look very icy.

That dress looks nice on you.

He has started to look his age (= appear as old as he really is).

It's looking good (= things are going well).

look like He looked like a friendly sort of person.

look like The twins look just like their mother.

look as if She looked as if she hadn't slept all night.

look as though He looked as though he might fall at any moment.

it looks like It looks like rain (= as if it is going to rain).

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You look thoughtful.
You look lovely with your hair up.
The walls look a bit bare - can't we put some pictures up?
Those gloves look nice and warm.
When she came home from school she really didn't look well.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Seeming and purporting to be

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look verb (DIRECTION)

B2 [ I usually + adv/prep ]

to face a particular direction:

The garden looks south.

This window looks out onto the lake.

More examplesFewer examples

The window looks onto the road.
The room looks north.
The meadow looks east.
All the statues look towards the fountain.
The drawing room looks south.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Geography: scenery & views

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look verb (WARNING)

[ I ]

used when you are telling someone to be careful or to pay attention:

[ + question word ] Look where you're going!

Look at the time - we're late!

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Paying attention and being careful

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look verb (HOPE)

be looking to do something

to be planning to do something:

I'm looking to start my own business.

Grammar

Look

We use the verb look to mean ‘turn our eyes in a particular direction to see something’. It is followed by at to refer to the person or thing which we see: …

Look as a linking verb

We often use look as a linking verb like appear, be, become, seem. As a linking verb, look does not take an object and it is followed by a phrase or clause which gives more information about the subject (a complement): …

Look as a discourse marker

We sometimes use look as a discourse marker but it needs to be used carefully as it is very strong. We use it when we are explaining something or making a point, especially when we are annoyed or speaking very forcefully: …

Look at, see or watch?

When we look at something, we direct our eyes in its direction and pay attention to it: …

Look at

When we look at something, we direct our eyes in its direction and pay attention to it: …

See

See means noticing something using our eyes. The past simple form is saw and the -ed form is seen: …

Watch as a verb

Look at, see or watch: typical errors

When there is an object, we use at after look: …

Idioms

be looking for trouble
be not much to look at
I'm just looking
look before you leap
look daggers at someone
look kindly on someone/something
look lively/sharp!
look on the bright side
look someone in the eye/face
look no further

More idioms

look out for number one
look straight/right through someone
look to your laurels
make someone look small
never look a gift horse in the mouth
never look back

Phrasal verbs

look after someone/something
look ahead
look around (somewhere/something)
look at something
look back
look down on someone
look forward to something
look in
look into something
look on

More phrasal verbs

look on/upon someone/something as something
look out
look something out
look out for someone/something
look over something
look round (somewhere/something)
look through something
look to someone to do something
look to someone for something
look up
look something up
look someone up
look up to someone

look

noun

/lʊk/ us

/lʊk/

look noun (WITH EYES)

B1 [ C ]

the act of seeing someone or something by directing your eyes towards them:

look at After a quick look at the letter, she threw it in the bin.

take a look Take a good look at this picture and see if you recognize anyone.

have a look mainly UK Can I have a look at your dictionary?

More examplesFewer examples

I had a brief look at her report before the meeting.
She cast a quick look in the rear mirror.
Bring your baby to the clinic and we'll take a look at her.
May I have a look at your newspaper?" "Of course you can."
I took one look at her and burst out laughing.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Using the eyes

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look noun (SEARCH)

B1 [ C usually singular ]

the act of trying to find someone or something:

have a look mainly UK I had another look for the watch, but couldn't find it.

take a look mainly US Let me take a look on the shelves to see if we have a copy.

More examplesFewer examples

I had a look for the book upstairs.
Have a good look in the cupboard.
You've got nits? Let's have a look.
I can have a look for the papers for you.
We'll need to have a good look round before we leave.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Searching

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look noun (APPEARANCE)

B2 [ C ]

an expression on someone's face:

She had a worried look about her.

give someone a look She gave me a questioning look.

look of She gave him a look of real dislike.

C1 [ C ]

a style or fashion:

The look this year will be relaxed and casual.

the look of someone/something

the appearance of someone or something:

They liked the look of the hotel, but it was too expensive.

someone's looks

a person's appearance, especially how attractive they are:

I like her looks.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

The head & face

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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

Fashion

look noun (CONSIDERING)

[ S ]

the act of considering or examining something:

look at A closer look at the situation shows that it is not as simple as it seems.

take a look Take a look at how rapidly the company innovates to stay ahead of its rivals.

have a look mainly UK Before you panic, have a look at the facts.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Analysing and evaluating

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Idioms

by the look(s) of things
if looks could kill...
not a good look

look

exclamation

/lʊk/ us

/lʊk/

used to express anger:

Look, I've already told you it's not possible.

look here old-fashioned Look here, I've had enough of this.

SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

Linguistics: interjections

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Grammar

Look

We use the verb look to mean ‘turn our eyes in a particular direction to see something’. It is followed by at to refer to the person or thing which we see: …

Look as a linking verb

Look as a discourse marker

(Definition of look from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

look | American Dictionary

look

verb

/lʊk/

look verb (SEE)

Add to word list Add to word list

[ I ]

to direct your eyes in order to see:

Come look at what I’ve found.

She looked at her brother.

He looked out (of) the window of the bus.

look verb (SEARCH)

[ I always + adv/prep ]

to try to find something:

Please help me look for my keys.

We looked everywhere but couldn’t find it.

I’ll look for a present for Tracy while I’m at the mall.

look verb (SEEM)

[ L ]

to seem or appear to be:

The roads look icy.

That dress looks nice on you.

He looked friendly.

She looked like she hadn’t slept all night.

He has started to look his age (= appear as old as he really is).

It looks like (= It is likely that) we’ll be finished by January.

It looks like snow (= It seems likely to snow).

look verb (EXAMINE)

[ I always + adv/prep ]

to examine or study, often quickly or informally:

Would you look over these numbers to see if I’ve made a mistake?

I don’t go there to shop – I just like to look around and see what they have.

look verb (FACE)

[ I ]

to be in or view a particular direction; face:

The garden looks east.

The porch looks out over the lake.

Idioms

look someone in the eye
look right through someone
looking for trouble

Phrasal verbs

look after someone/something
look ahead
look back
look down on someone
look forward to something
look in on someone/something
look into something
look like someone/something
look like something
look on/upon someone/something

More phrasal verbs

look out
look up
look up someone
look something up
look up to someone

look

exclamation

/lʊk/

look exclamation (GETTING ATTENTION)

used to get someone’s attention, often to express anger or annoyance:

Look, I’ve already told you that I’m not lending you any more money.

look

noun

/lʊk/

look noun (SEEM)

[ C ]

an expression of the face, or a particular appearance:

a joyful/sad look

I didn’t like the look of the place and left as soon as I could.

[ pl ] He had good looks and lots of money.

(Definition of look from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

look | Business English

look

verb [ I ]

/lʊk/ us

be looking to do sth

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to plan to do something:

Many Hong Kong manufacturers are looking to expand in the UK market.

I'm just looking

said to a person working in a store when they offer to help you, but you want to continue looking at the products:

'Do you need any help?' 'I'm just looking, thank you.'

look good

if something such as business, news, or a plan looks good, you think that it will succeed or that something good might happen:

Margins are improving and the underlying business looks good.

Strategically the deal looks good.

never look back

to continue to be successful after having an earlier success:

He says: 'I applied, got the job, and have never looked back.'

Phrasal verbs

look after sth
look ahead
look at sth
look into sth
look over sth
look up

(Definition of look from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Examples of look

look

Looking time is recorded, and longer looking at the novel stimulus permits the inference that the infant has discriminated the two emotions.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The participant gets a quick look at the pattern.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

As examples, they were likelier to pause, look perplexed, replay the tape, and verbally express their puzzlement.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Now that we can differentiate systematic non-proportionality from the effects of random error and lumpiness, let us look again at the issue of proportional allocations.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

As well as considering the extreme theoretical cases he looks at the roles of organization and procurement in practice.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Such children, we are told, look like animals and show no trace of intelligence.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Still, a public economist would remind us that looking at whether environmental tax swaps increase employment or not tells us nothing about social welfare.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

The following account, while telling something of their story, looks at how such a private 'language' can impact negatively on second-language acquisition.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

Although this way of looking at teaching and learning is currently widespread, it has not always been so.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

He then lifted him onto his own mount and took him to an inn and looked after him.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

For each primary, the nonlinear relationship between voltage output and luminance was linearized by color look-up tables.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

This makes it easier to accept that we construct not only things you look at, but how you look as well.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

That particular discontinuity does not obtain in this way of looking at things.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

In the current investigation, being of the second type, things look a bit different.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

It is not structural honesty, which was looked for.

From the Cambridge English Corpus

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.