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REFERENCE

see things

idiom
Meaning

To imagine that one sees things that are not actually present; to have visual hallucinations.


Examples
SIMPLE

I thought I saw a ghost, but I was just seeing things.

CONTEXTUAL

The room was so dark that I kept seeing things in the shadows, but it was just my imagination.

COMPLEX

Exhausted after days of travel, he began to wonder if he was seeing things when the empty desert road appeared to shimmer with water.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    all things considered

    Generally speaking; in terms of the big picture.

  2. 02

    all things to all people

    Someone or something that entirely satisfies the expectations of everyone, no matter how diverse and conflicting those expectations may be.

  3. 03

    finer things

    That which is considered of a high quality, expensive or tasteful.

  4. 04

    for all the world to see

    in plain view; clearly visible

  5. 05

    have seen one's day

    Of a person, thing, idea, etc., to be at the point in a life cycle or career of no longer being useful or effective; to be worn-out.

  6. 06

    have seen one's last gum tree

    Of a person, on the edge of death.

  7. 07

    have seen this movie

    To have experienced a situation which is the same as or similar to the current situation, especially with a sense of the unpleasantness or tiresomeness of the recurring situation.

  8. 08

    hear things

    To imagine that one hears sounds that are not actually real; to have auditory hallucinations.

Last updated April 17, 2026