look

Etymology

From Middle English loken, lokien, from Old English lōcian, from Proto-West Germanic *lōkōn. Further origin unknown, no certain cognates outside Germanic. The English word, however, is cognate with Scots luke, luik, leuk (“to look, see”), West Frisian lôkje, loaitsje (“to look”), Dutch loeken (“to look”), German Low German löken, Alemannic German luege (“to look”), German lugen (“to look”), Yiddish לוגן (lugn). Possibly related to Sanskrit लोक् (lok, “to see, behold”) (from Proto-Indo-European *lewk- (“light”) in the sense of "illuminating" (cf. related word रुच् (ruc) "to shine, illuminate")).

verb

1. To try to see, to pay attention to with one’s eyes.
   1. (intransitive) As an intransitive verb, often with "at".
      Troponyms: glance; see also Thesaurus:stare
      They kept looking at me.
      Don’t look in the closet.
      Timothy Leary's dead. No, no no no, he's outside, looking in. 1968, Ray Thomas (lyrics and music), “Legend of a Mind”, in In Search of the Lost Chord, performed by The Moody Blues
   2. (transitive, colloquial) As a transitive verb, often in the imperative; chiefly takes relative clause as direct object.
      Look how they massacred my boy. 1972, The Godfather
      Look what you did to him!
      Look who's back!
2. To appear, to seem.
   It looks as if it’s going to rain soon.
   Our new boss looks to be a lot more friendly.
   THERE is a pleaſure in owning obligations which it is a pleaſure to have received; but ſhould I publiſh any favours done me by your Lordſhip, I am afraid it would look more like vanity, than gratitude. c. 1701-03, Joseph Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c., Dedication
   Now that she had rested and had fed from the luncheon tray Mrs. Broome had just removed, she had reverted to her normal gaiety. She looked cool in a grey tailored cotton dress with a terracotta scarf and shoes and her hair a black silk helmet. 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 2, in The China Governess
   Chelsea's youngsters, who looked lively throughout, then combined for the second goal in the seventh minute. Romeu's shot was saved by Wolves goalkeeper Dorus De Vries but Piazon kept the ball alive and turned it back for an unmarked Bertrand to blast home. 2012, Chelsea 6-0 Wolves
3. (copulative) To give an appearance of being.
   That painting looks nice.
   Once, slipping the money clandestinely, just in the act of taking leave, he slipt it not into her hand but on the floor, and another had it; whereupon the poor Monk, coming to know it, looked mere despair for some days[…]. 1843, Thomas Carlyle, Past and Present, book 2, chapter 6, Monk Samson
4. (intransitive, often with "for") To search for, to try to find.
5. To face or present a view.
   The hotel looks over the valleys of the HinduKush.
   1769, Benjamin Blayney (editor), King James Bible, Oxford standard text, Ezekiel, xi, 1, Moreover the spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the east gate of the LORD's house, which looketh eastward:
6. To expect or anticipate.
   I look to each hour for my lover’s arrival.
   1596, Edmund Spenser, The Fairie Queene, Book VI, Canto XI, 1750, The Works of Edmund Spenser, Volume 4, page 139,
   Looking each Hour into Death's Mouth to fall,
7. (transitive) To express or manifest by a look.
   Soft eyes looked love to eyes which spake again, c. 1815, Lord Byron, Waterloo
8. (transitive, often with "to") To make sure of, to see to.
   "Look to it yourself, father," answered Telemachus, "for they say you are the wisest counsellor in the world, and that there is no other mortal man who can compare with you.[…] 1898, Homer, translated by Samuel Butler, The Odyssey
9. (dated, sometimes figurative) To show oneself in looking.
   Look out of the window [i.e. lean out] while I speak to you.
10. (transitive, archaic or dialectal) To check, to make sure (of something).
11. (transitive, obsolete) To look at; to turn the eyes toward.
12. (transitive, obsolete) To seek; to search for.
    c. 1552–1599, Edmund Spenser, unidentified sonnet, Looking my love, I go from place to place, Like a young fawn that late hath lost the hind; And seek each where, where last I saw her face, Whose image yet I carry fresh in mind.
13. (transitive, obsolete) To influence, overawe, or subdue by looks or presence.
    to look down opposition
    1692, John Dryden, Cleomenes the Spartan Hero, a Tragedy, Act 3, Scene 1, 1701, The Comedies, Tragedies, and Operas Written by John Dryden, Esq, Volume 2, page 464, A Spirit fit to start into an Empire, And look the World to Law.
    Ovid might have evaded her entreaties by means of an excuse. But her eyes were irresistible: they looked him into submission in an instant. 1882, Wilkie Collins, Heart and Science
14. (baseball) To look at a pitch as a batter without swinging at it.
    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.

intj

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

noun

1. The action of looking; an attempt to see.
   Let’s have a look under the hood of the car.
2. (often plural) Physical appearance, visual impression.
   She got her mother’s looks.
   I don’t like the look of the new design.
3. A facial expression.
   He gave me a dirty look.
   If looks could kill ...