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see

v.
A1 Beginner Oxford US //ˈsi// UK //sˈiː// see General-service

v. to use your eyes to look at something or someone. You also use this word when you understand an idea or meet a person.

v. to perceive with the eyes; to witness or experience an event. Often used to indicate comprehension or the act of meeting someone socially.


SIMPLE

I can see the mountains from my window.

CONTEXTUAL

If you look closely at the chart, you will see that sales increased last month.

COMPLEX

While many observers could see the immediate effects of the policy, few were able to foresee the long-term structural changes it would eventually trigger in the local economy.

Synonyms
Usage

The verb is often used in the progressive form ('I am seeing') only when it means 'meeting' or 'dating', not for physical perception.

Pitfall

I am seeing a bird right now.I see a bird right now.When 'see' refers to the physical ability to perceive with eyes, it is a stative verb and is not usually used in the continuous tense.

Idioms36 entries

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