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seen

v.
A1 Beginner US //ˈsin// UK //sˈiːn// seen Dialect

v. the past participle of 'see'. You use it with 'have' or 'has' to talk about things you have looked at or experienced in the past.

v. the past participle of the irregular verb 'see'. Used in the formation of perfect tenses and passive voice constructions.


SIMPLE

I have seen that movie three times already.

CONTEXTUAL

The witness claimed she had seen the suspect leaving the building shortly before the alarm sounded.

COMPLEX

Having seen the devastating effects of the drought firsthand, the researchers were better equipped to propose a sustainable water management strategy for the region.

Synonyms
Usage

As a past participle, it requires an auxiliary verb like 'have', 'has', or 'had' to form a complete tense.

Pitfall

I seen him yesterdayI saw him yesterdayIn standard English, 'seen' cannot be used as the simple past tense; 'saw' is required when there is no auxiliary verb.

Idioms5 entries

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