▪ I. see, n.1
(siː)
Forms: 3–4 ce, 3–5 cee, sce, 3–6 se, 4–5 sey, 6–7 sea, 4– see.
[a. OF. sé, sed, a variant (influenced by the Latin) of sié, sied:—popular L. *sĕdem, altered form (after sedēre to sit) of classical L. sēdem (sēdēs) a seat.]
† 1. A seat, place of sitting. a. gen. (Only in early poetical use.) Obs.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus iv. 1023 For if þer sit a man yond on a see Than by necessite byhoueth it. c 1384 ― H. Fame iii. 120 And smale harpers with her glees Saten vnder hym in sees. a 1400 Pistill of Susan 86 (MS. I.), Þe schene briddes in þe schawe þei schappyn in schrowde, On fikes and firres þei fangen her sees, In faye. 1412–20 Lydg. Chron. Troy i. 1820 To whom hir fader bad to take hir see Be-syde Iason. c 1450 Lovelich Grail l. 339 Thilke same se That I inne sat be presomptweste It is that same sege..Where as God to his disciples made his Sene. |
b. A seat of dignity or authority; esp. a royal seat, throne. Hence the rank or position symbolized by a throne. Obs.
| c 1290 Beket 779 in S. Eng. Leg. 129 Þe king sat an hei in is sce and a-coupede him wel faste. c 1306 Song Exec. Sir S. Fraser in Pol. Songs (Camden) 215 Tho he wes set in see Lutel god couthe he kyne-riche to ȝeme. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 4220 And þar sal he [sc. Antichrist]..in myddes þe temple make his se. c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame iii. 271 But al on hye, above a dees, Sit in a see imperiall,..Y saugh, perpetually y-stalled,..A femynyne creature. 1412–20 Lydg. Chron. Troy i. 629 Whan þe schene sonne..had made in þe crabbis hede His mansioun, and his see ryal. 1489 Caxton Faytes of A. iii. ii. 171 A man ydone and hable to the see Imperyall. a 1522 World & Child 22 Lo! here I sette semely in se! I commaunde you all obedyent be. 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. vi. 2 Ioue laught on Venus from his soueraigne see. |
c. transf. and fig. (One's) place of abode; esp. the dwelling-place of a monarch, a god, or the like. Obs.
| 13.. Cursor M. 2482 (Gött.) Vnder þe fote of mount mambre þar he ches to sett his se. c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 122 Fortune shewithe ay, by chaungyng hir see, How this world is a thurghefare ful of woo. c 1460 Wisdom 132 in Macro Plays 40 First, bapteme..reformyt þe sowll,..Ande makyt yt..Crystis own specyall, Hys restynge place, hys plesant see. 1501 Douglas Pal. Hon. Prol. 19 The fragrant flouris blomand in thair seis, Ouirspred the leuis of natures tapestries. 1513 ― æneis i. i. 28 Hir native land for it postponit sche Callit Samo; in Cartage set hir se. 1596 Spenser F.Q. iv. x. 30 Nor that [Temple], which that wise King of Iurie framed..to be th' Almighties see. |
2. Ecclesiastical uses. a. The seat, chair, or throne of a bishop in his church; = cathedra 1. Now only arch.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 4967 Þere sein birin bissop was þe uerste þat was ywis Vor þe se was þere of bissop þo þat at lincolne nou is. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 6665 Þe whilk suld haue a bischope se. 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. ccxxxiii. 723 He..entred into the Consystory, and so came to the pope whyle he sate styll in his see. 1724 De Foe's Tour Gt. Brit. I. i. 95 The Cathedral of this City [of Norwich]..is not antient, the Bishop's See having been first at Thetford; from whence it was not translated hither till the Twelfth Century. 1844 Lingard Anglo-Sax. Ch. (1858) I. ii. 76 The archiepiscopal see should never after be fixed in the minster of Litchfield. 1849 Rock Ch. of Fathers II. vi. 255 No church that does not really hold the ‘cathedra’ or see, from which a bishop takes his title, can be a cathedral. 1884 E. A. Freeman in Times 16 Jan. 8/2 The see of the Bishop of Somerset, his seat—in old English phrase his bishopstool or bishopsettle—was moved more than once between the 11th century and the 13th. |
b. The office or position indicated by sitting in a particular episcopal chair; the position of being bishop of a particular diocese.
| c 1450 Bidding Prayer iii. in Lay Folks Mass-bk. 68 Also we sall pray specially for our holy fader þe archbyschop of þis See. 1595 Shakes. John iii. i. 144 Why thou..dost..force perforce Keepe Stephen Langton chosen Archbishop Of Canterbury from that holy Sea. 1678 Walton Life of Sanderson 3 Thomas Rotherham, sometime Archbishop of that Sea. 1680 Godolphin Repert. Canon. (ed. 2) 14 The Diocess belonging to the See of York contains [etc.]. 1704 Nelson Fest. & Fasts ii. iii. (1739) 477 The Office of a Bishop..contains peculiarly the Power of Consecrating Bishops to succeed them in vacant Sees. 1819 Shelley Cenci i. ii. 66, I know the Pope Will ne'er absolve me from my priestly vow But by absolving me from the revenue Of many a wealthy see. 1869 Act 32 & 33 Vict. c. 111 §5 The bishop shall retain all the temporalities of his see, except the patronage. 1874 Green Short Hist. vii. §3. 371 The vacant sees were filled for the med. Latin part with learned and able men. |
c. spec. Chiefly with defining word, the Apostolic See, Holy See, Papal See, Roman See, the See of Rome (rarely † the See): the office or position of Pope; the Papacy; the authority or jurisdiction belonging to the Pope; occas. the Pope in his official capacity.
The designation Apostolic See (in its Latin form, Sedes Apostolica) was in patristic use applied more widely to any of the bishoprics founded by apostles; in med.Latin it occurs also (see Du Cange) in the general sense of ‘cathedral’.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 14946 For he [seint Gregore] was ablest, next pope to be After hym þat held þo þe se. 1529 More Supplic. Soulys Wks. 296/2 Nowe if he say..y{supt} king John made England and Ireland tributary to the pope and the sea apostolike [etc.]. 1559 Abp. Heath in Strype Ann. Ref. (1709) I. App. vi. 7 When by the Vertue of this Acte of Supremacye, we must forsake and flee from the Sea of Rome. 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. iii. ii. 232, I am a brother Of gracious Order, late come from the Sea, In speciall businesse from his Holinesse. 1616 R. C. Times' Whistle (1871) 51 Others..Leave vs, and flie vnto the Sea of Rome. 1656 Earl of Monmouth tr. Boccalini's Pol. Touchstone (1674) 278 The Sea Apostolick was..contented to see the Mauritanian Kings driven out of Spain. 1765 Stonor in E. H. Burton Life Challoner (1909) II. 83 They were told that the Society ought to be particularly careful at this juncture not to disgust the Holy See, by being refractory to its orders. 1769 Robertson Chas. V, iii. Wks. 1813 V. 354 The publishing it by their own authority was highly disrespectful to the Roman see. 1777 Watson Philip II, v. (1812) I. 180 Commanding the Catholics every where to have recourse, in all dubious cases, to the Apostolic See. 1788 Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 454 A dispute has arisen between the Papal See and the King of Naples. 1840 Macaulay Ess., Von Ranke ¶25 Pius the Fifth..upheld the authority of his see. 1844 Lingard Anglo-Sax. Ch. (1858) I. ii. 78 The protection of the Holy See. 1884 Cath. Dict. (1897) 93 The bishop speaks of himself as ‘N., by the grace of God and of the Apostolic See, Bishop of N.’. |
† d. The building in which a bishop's throne is placed, a cathedral. Obs. rare.
| 1480 Caxton Descr. Brit. 17 The chief moder chirch of alle Wales and the chief see [Trevisa chief sete]. a 1600 Hooker Eccl. Pol. vii. viii. §3 The Church where the Bishop is set with his Colledge of Presbyters about him, we call a Sea. 1665 G. Havers tr. P. della Valle's Trav. E. Ind. 78 And lastly, the See or Cathedral, which nevertheless is neither the fairest, nor the greatest Church of that City... The See of Goa at the time of my being there was not finish'd. |
† e. A city in which the authority symbolized by the throne (of a bishop, etc.) is considered to reside. Cf. siege n. 2. Obs.
| 1534 Act 26 Hen. VIII, c. 14 §1 The Townes of Thetforde [etc.] shalbe taken and accepted for Sees of Byshops Suffragans to be made in this Realme. 1673 Ray Journ. Low C. 331 Between the monuments..are the arms of the Cities subject to the Great Duke..all Episcopal Seas. 1680 H. More Apocal. Apoc. 65 Capernaum, that See as it were of that great Bishop of Souls Jesus Christ. 1756–7 tr. Keysler's Trav. (1760) II. 89 Aquapendente is an episcopal see. |
† f. The territory under the jurisdiction of a bishop, a diocese. Obs.
| 1534 Act 26 Hen. VIII, c. 14 §4 No suche Suffragans..shall..have..any jurisdiccion or Episcopal power..within their said Sees nor within any Dioces or place of this Realme..but only suche..as [etc.]. c 1610 Women Saints 64 Archbishop Theodore then ruling the Sea of Canterburie. |
| fig. 1633 P. Fletcher Purple Isl. ii. 14 The whole Isle, parted in three regiments, By three Metropolies is joyntly sway'd;..The lowest hath the worst, but largest See. |
3. attrib. and Comb.: simple attributive, as † see-church, see-land (in Ireland), see-property, see-town; (sense 2) see-city; see-house, † -place, the official residence of the occupant of a see.
| c 1449 Pecock Repr. iii. xiii. 359 The pope and his *see chirche in Rome. 1558 W. Forrest Grisild the Second (Roxb.) 59 After whiche great extreme purgation To Yorke (his See Church) dymytted he was. |
| 1937 Daily Tel. 28 Aug. 13/3 On this day, very nearly 1,500 years ago, Augustine lay dying in his *see-city of Hippo. 1956 D. E. W. Harrison in D. L. Linton Sheffield 199 Meanwhile Sheffield became in 1914 the see-city of a diocese stretching to Goole on the Ouse. |
| 1845 J. H. Newman Ess. Developm. (1878) 158 The *see-house at Antioch. 1888 Ch. Times 24 Aug. 725/1 The see-house at Bishop Auckland. |
| 1732 Swift Proposal to pay off Debt of Nation Misc. (1735) V. 350 The Purchasers of the vacant *See Lands, are to come immediately into Possession of the See he hath left. 1835 Whately in Life (1866) I. 326 Bishoprics whose see-lands are..in other dioceses. |
| 1553 Respublica iii. v. 805 We lefte the best of them a thredebare bisshop:..The beste had but his *see place, that he might kepe home. |
| 1847 Reeves Eccl. Antiq. Down, etc. 171 note, The half townland of Dundesert is still *see property. |
| 1861 A. Beresford-Hope Eng. Cathedral 105 It is, I trust, in the process of..being constituted the *see-town of the bishopric. 1895 Rashdall Universities II. 359 A city which was neither a capital nor a see-town. |
▪ II. see, n.2
(siː)
[f. see v.]
In nonce-uses: a. to have a see, to have a look (at); used as a colloq. replacement for look n. (cf. also look-see). b. with cognate obj., I have seen my see, I have seen what I wished to see. rare or nonce-use.
| 1868 ‘Holme Lee’ Basil Godfrey's Caprice xxxiii, Let me have a see at the playbill. 1868 Browning Ring & Bk. ii. 128 May I depart in peace, I have seen my see. 1927 J. Masefield Midnight Folk 251 The son took out a pocket telescope..and handed it to his father. ‘Take a see for yourself, pop.’ 1938 E. Williams Corn is Green i. i. 10 Ought to be 'ere by now, I'll 'ave a see. |
▪ III. see, v.
(siː)
Forms and Inflexions: see below.
[A Common Teut. strong v.: OE. séon (seah, sáwon and sǽᵹon, ᵹe-sewen) = OFris. sîa, OS. sehan, MDu. sîen (Du. zien), MLG. sên (LG. seen), OHG. sehan (MHG., mod.G. sehen), ON. séa (Sw. and Da. se), s{iacu}a (Fær. siggja), siá (Icel. sjá, Norw. sjaa), Goth. sa{iacu}hwan (sahw, sêhwum, sa{iacu}hwans):—OTeut. *sehw-:—pre-Teut. *seq{supu}-.
Three distinct Indogermanic roots of the form *seq{supu}- are commonly recognized; some scholars (as Brugmann) refer the Teut. verb to the root of which an ablaut-variant appears in say v.1; others (as Kluge) to the root of L. sequī to follow; and others (as Fick) to that of L. secāre to cut; but each of these views involves a hypothetical sense-development which it is not easy to accept with confidence.]
A. Inflexional Forms.
1. inf. see (siː). Forms: 1 séon, s{iacu}on, Merc. séan, s{iacu}an, Northumb. séa, 2 syen, 2–3 sien, 2–5 seo(n, (2–3 son, 3 so), 3 sean, 3–4 sei(e, 3–5 sen, 3–6 se, 4 suen, seeyȝen, sey, sy, si, Kent. zy, zi, 4–5 seye, 4–6 sene, 4–6, (8) seen, 4 (north.), 6–7 (Sc.) sie, 5 seene, seyn, 5–6 seyne, (7 sea), 7, 9– dial. zee, 3– see. Also dat. inf. 1 tó séonne, séanne, séenne, 2–3 to siene, 3 to seonne, to sene, to sende, Kent. to zyenne, (7 to seene).
| Beowulf 920 Eode scealc moniᵹ swiðhicᵹende to sele þam hean searowundor seon. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Mark x. 51 Þætte ic ᵹesii vel mæᵹe sea. c 1175 Pater Noster 110 in Lamb. Hom. 61 And cristes wille bo us bitwon neb wið neb for him to son. c 1200 Ormin 2845 Her maȝȝ mann sen full opennliȝ Þatt [etc.]. c 1275 Lay. 8172 One man..þat was þider icome for to se [c 1205 i-seon] þis cnihtes game. a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. xxxvi. 100 When we shule suen thy wounde blede. c 1350 Will. Palerne 759 William to þe window witterli miȝt sene ȝif [etc.]. 1382 Wyclif Deut. xxviii. 10 Alle the puples of erthes shulen seeyȝ en [MS. A. seye, 1388 se], that [etc.]. c 1450 Mirk's Festial 5 Als ferre as he myght seen hit. c 1470 Henry Wallace viii. 475 Gyff thai suld battaill seyn. ? a 1550 Droichis Part of Play 124 in Dunbar's Poems (1893) 318 As ȝe may sie. 1611 Mure Misc. Poems, Confl. Love & Reas. 18 One quho lothed to sie ye Light. 1638 Hamilton Papers (Camden) 3 To publis the proclamatioun fourthwith..and sea itt put in executioun to the best of your pouer. |
| c 893 [see 16 a (a)]. a 1225 Juliana 47 (Bodl. MS.) Ich..sohte þe to seonne. 12.. Moral Ode 388 (Egerton MS.) in O.E. Hom. I. 183 Of him to sene [c 1200 Trin. MS. in O.E. Hom. II. 232 to isiene] nis no sed. 1340 Ayenb. 108 Þet he ne is clene ne worþi him to zyenne. |
2. ind. pres. a. 1st pers. sing. see (siː). Forms: 1 séom, s{iacu}um, séo, s{iacu}o, s{iacu}e, 2–5 seo, (2–3 so), 3–4 north. seis, 3–6 se, (5 scee), 6 Sc. sie, 3– see.
| a 1000 Ags. Ps. v. 3 (Th.) Ic stande on ær-merᵹen beforan ðe æt ᵹebede, and seo þe. c 1200 Ormin 7623 Forr her I seo full witerrliȝ Þin Hælennd crist onn eorþe. a 1250 Owl & N. 34 Me is þe wrs þat ich þe so [Jesus MS. iseo]. a 1300 Cursor M. 16327, I wat and seis [Gött. MS. seis] þai wel noght fine, be-tuixand þai þe sla. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xx. 177 ‘Now I see’ [1393 Ibid. C. xxiii. 178 seo], seyde lyf ‘þat [etc.]’. c 1400 St. Alexius 334 (Cott.) Ys thys my sone þat I here scee? 1471 Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) 41 Y shall neuer haue pleasir in my lyf tyll y se hym refrayned of his tyrannye. 1535 Lyndesay Satyre 8 All that I sie. |
b. 2nd pers. sing. seest (ˈsiːɪst). Forms: (α) 1 seohst, syhst, sihst, sixst, siist, s{iacu}st, 3 sihst, sichst seh[s]te, 3–4 seost, sext, syst, sucst, sikst, 3, 5 sixst, 3–5 sest, sist, sixt, 4 suxst, sixte, syxt, (sys), Kent. zixt, zyxt, zist, 4–5 suxt, 5 sexst, sestt, seist, 5–6 seyst, 4– seest. (β) (north.) 1 siis, 3– 4 sais, 3–5 se(e)s, 3–6 seis, 4 seise, seyse, 4–5 sese, seys, 5 seese, seȝis, 6 seyis.
| α [c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. iii. §4 Ᵹesihst þu nu þæt (etc.).] c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 137 Wanne þu sest gost cumen [etc.]. a 1250 Owl & N. 242 (Jesus MS.) Bi daye þu art stare-blynd, Þat þu ne syst [Cott. MS. sichst] bouh of lynd. c 1250 Ten Abuses 1 (Cott.) in O.E. Misc. 184 Hwan þu sixst on leode King þat is wilful [etc.]. c 1320 R. Brunne Medit. 212 He þat þou seest yn þe prestes fest. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xi. 158 As þow suxt [v.rr. sixt, seist, seest, sext] þe sonne som tyme for cloudes May nat shyne. a 1400 How to live perfectly 1062 in Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. 249 Hem þat þou seost in Meseyse. c 1485 Digby Myst., Mary Magd. 1542 Þis chrisetyn þat here sestt þou. a 1586 Sidney Arcadia ii. (Sommer) 103 Alas my Dorus (said she) thou seest how long [etc.]. 1781 Cowper Truth 507 Seest thou yon harlot, wooing all she meets. |
| β [c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Mark xii. 14 Ne forðon ðu ᵹesiis on onsione monnes.] a 1300 Cursor M. 14055 ‘Sais [Gött. ses, Fairf. sese] þou’, he said, ‘now þis womman?’ c 1320 Sir Tristr. 2933 No say nouȝt what þou ses. 1375 Barbour Bruce iv. 301 Now seis thow I mak na gabbing. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 5022 For þi modire nor ȝit Messedon Þou seȝis þaim na mare. a 1400 in Relig. Pieces Prose & Verse 24 The toþer es in Haly Writte whare þou sese what þou doo and what þou sall lefe. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems xx. 41 Thow seyis mony thingis variand. 1570 Ane Tragedie 26 in Satir. Poems Reform. x, We ar cum heir to the..To cause the write that thing thou seis this nycht. |
c. 3rd pers. sing. sees (siːz), arch. seeth (ˈsiːɪθ). Forms: (α) 1 siehð, siohð, seohð, syhð, sihð, s{iacu}ð, 2 sicð, 2–3 siþ, seoð, seð, siht, 2–3, 5 sieþ, 2–4 sihþ, 3 syhþ, (suþ, soþ, seoȝ error for seoþ), 3–4 sucþ, 4 siȝth, sikth, sykþ, syþ, seyþ, syht, Kent. ziȝþ, zyȝþ, zyþ, zycþ, zykþ, zikþ, zyȝt, ziȝt, 4–5 seth, 5 sueþ, 5–6 sethe, seyth, seith, 4– (now arch.) seeth.
(β) (with ending orig. north.) 1 siis, s{iacu}s, 3–6 seis, 4 seise, seos, 4–5 ses(e, seys, 5 sesse, seȝis, -es, 6–7 Sc. sies, 3– sees.
| [c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. vi. 4 Fæder ðin seðe ᵹesiið in deᵹelnisse; [c 1000 Ags. Gosp. ᵹesyhþ; c 1160 Hatton Gosp. sihð].] 1154 O.E. Chron. an. 1124 (Laud MS.) ad fin., Oc ure Laford God ælmihtiᵹ þa eall diᵹelnesse seð & wat, he seoð þæt man læt þæt ærme folc mid ealle un rihte. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 29 Þe mon þe heleð his sunne aðisse liue ne siht he nefre almihtin drihten. Ibid. 157 Þe rihtwise Mon þet..sicð þe muchele blisse þet he is to ileðed. a 1250 Owl & N. 246 Riȝt so hit farþ bi þan un-gode þat noȝt ne suþ [Jesus MS. i-syhþ] to none gode. a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. xxix. 86 Marie wepeth sore, ant siht al this wo. c 1315 Shoreham 7 Deadly Sins 203 He sykþ gode theawes. c 1369 Chaucer Dethe Blaunche 595 Who so seeth me firste. c 1450 Mirk's Festial 62 Holy chyrche..seyth hom all sore seke yn þe sekenes of synne. 1535 Coverdale Ps. xvii[i.] 47 Y⊇ God which seyth that I be auenged. Ibid. xxxvi[i.] 13 He seith y{supt} his daye is comminge. 1560 Ovid's Narcissus C iij b, Ther he seethe the image of his grace. a 1629 T. Goffe Courag. Turk v. iv. (1632) H 3 b, Their God seeth their slaughter. |
| β [c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. John iii. 32 Þætte ᵹesiis & ᵹehereð.] a 1300 Cursor M. 862 He wend to hide him amang þa tres, Fra his sight þat al sees [Gött. seis, Fairf. seise, Trin. sees]. a 1375 Joseph Arim. 258 He seos Jhesu crist in a sad Roode. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 2532 Quen he sesse [Dubl. MS. seys] vs sike a sowme sare will he drede. Ibid. 5583 Þe berne blischis on his blonke & seȝes his breth faile. c 1614 Mure Dido & æneas ii. 120 What all doth boad she sies. |
d. pl. see (siː). Forms: (α) 1 séoð, séað, s{iacu}oð, 2–4 seoþ, (3 soþ, seoȝ error for seoþ), 3–5 seþ, 4 suþ, seith, (seoz ? error for seoþ), Kent. zyeþ (also written zyeȝ), zeþ, 5 seeþ, sethe. (β) 1 séo, 3–4 seo, 3–6 se, 6 Sc. sie, 3– see. (γ) north. 1 séas, 3–4 sees, sais, 3–6 seis, 4 seyse, sese. (δ) 3–6 sen, 4 seon, 4–5 seen, 5 se(e)ne, se(e)yne.
| α a 900 Cynewulf Crist 1286 (Gr.) Hy..seoð. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xiii. 13 Forðon ᵹeseᵹend..ne seað. a 1250 Owl & N. 884 (Jesus MS.) Hi ne seoþ [Cott. MS. soþ] her nowiht bute serewe. [c 1290 Beket 921 in S. Eng. Leg. 133 Ȝe i-seoȝ wel echon þat al þe world grat on me one.] 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 2436 In þe firmament beþ Planetes yliche clene sterren seuene as ȝe seþ [v. rr. iseoþ, seen, sene]. a 1325 soez [see B. 9]. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. i. 41 This and þat sueth þi soule and seith it in þin herte. 1393 ― P. Pl. C. v. 154 We seth [v.rr. seon, see, seeyne, se] wel syre reson,..That [etc.]. c 1450 Mirk's Festial 21 As ȝe here and sethe. |
| β [971 Blickl. Hom. 125 Ᵹeseo we þæt oft swiþe maneᵹum men færlice ᵹelimpeþ þæt he hine wið þas world ᵹedæleþ.] a 1300 Cursor M. 5335 God men i am, als yee now her se, An old man. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. x. 244 Oþer sonedays at euesonge seo we wel fewe! |
| γ c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xiii. 17 Ða ilco ᵹe seas. a 1300 Cursor M. 1176 All þat þe sees [Fairf. sees, Gött. se, Trin. seeþ] sal þe not sla. Ibid. 21074 Þat erth..men sais [Gött. seis] vprisand fra þe grund. 1567 Gude & Godlie Ball. 89 Quhen my ennemies seis my fall. |
| δ c 1200 Ormin 18965 Forr swa þeȝȝ mare herenn & sen Off Cristess rihhtwisnesse. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. iii. 210 Ȝe seon wel þe soþe. c 1450 Mirk's Festial 42 Þen we sene þat þou wyll not do þe kyngys byddyng. 1450–80 tr. Secreta Secret. xi. 11 Than shalle the kyng be worshipid and dred whan men seyne that he dredith god. c 1600 Day Bednal Gr. iv. iii. (1659) I 1 b, Old Stro. And speak the truth Boy as thou art my Son. Y. Stro. And I do not I'll give you leave to call me Cut, sen ye? |
3. ind. pa. a. 1st and 3rd pers. sing. saw (sɔː). Forms: (α) 1, 3 sæh, 1–3 seah, 3 Ormin sahh, 3–4 saȝ, sah, sau, (saght), 3–5 sagh, saȝe, sauȝ, 4 saghe, saȝhe, sav, sach, (Sc. schaw), 4–5 saugh, sauh, sawh, sawȝ, 4–6 sawe, sauhe, sawhe, sawgh, sauch, (saȝ), save, 5–6 saue, sauȝe, (5 saughe), Sc. sa, 6 sae, Sc. saa, 3– saw; 1–4 seh, 3 sehȝ, seȝh, sæih, sayh, seeh, 3–4 seih, seȝ, 3–5 sai, sei, saiȝ, seiȝ, seyh, seghe, 3–5, (7) say, 3–6 saye, sey, 4 saiȝe, seiȝe, saih, sayw, seey, seeȝ, seich, Kent. zeȝ, 4–5 seigh(e, seygh, seyȝe, seye, sayȝ, saie, seie, seih, se(e)gh, 4–6 se, 5 seyhe, seȝhe, sech, (seyght), 3– (now vulgar) see; 3–4 sih, 4 si, syh, sygȝ, 4–5 syȝ, sygh, siȝ(e, sigh(e, syȝe, sihe, sy, sie, 5 syg(he, syhe, 5–6 sye; 4 sugh, sough, sow, sue. (β) weak forms (dial. and vulgar) 8–9 see'd, 9 seed, zeed, etc. (see also Eng. Dial. Dict.).
| α c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. John xi. 33 Se hælend uutedlice þætte saeh hia hremende. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 175 Ure helende..segh þos tweie brodren in þe se on here shipe. c 1275 Passion our Lord 561 in O.E. Misc. 53 Þo seyh heo þer twey engles. c 1290 Beket 167 in S. Eng. Leg. 111 Heo saiȝ gilbertus wille þat it was no guod. a 1300 Havelok 1251 O niht saw she þer-inne a liht. c 1325 Metr. Hom. 76 When scho on rode sugh hyr son hang. a 1330 Otuel 738 Rouland was so nyȝ, Þat alle foure kinges he syȝ. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. Prol. 14, I sauh a Tour on a Toft. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints v. (Johannes) 250 Paynis..þat he schaw in hell. 1382 Wyclif Matt. ix. 23 When Jhesus..seeȝ mynstrelis. a 1400 Pistill of Susan 316 Vnderr a Cyne..I her se. c 1425 Lydg. Assembly of Gods 22 When I sy no bettyr but I must go. c 1450 Mirk's Festial 119 He ȝode nygh and sech how an horrybull neddyr..had vmbeclypped a lyon. c 1450 Digby Myst., Mary Magd. 2051 Þe whych I never save þis xxx wynter and more. a 1500 Lancelot 1225 The lady sauch..The knychtis worschip which that he haith vroght. 1534 in Lett. Suppress. Monasteries (Camden) 36 He was rapte into heven, where he see the Trinite settyng in a pall. 1573 G. Harvey Letter-bk. (Camden) 115 Who ever sae, who ever harde, who ever redd the like to this? 1583 Leg. Bp. St. Androis 520 in Satir. Poems Reform. xlv, But his commissione na man saa. 1672 Wiseman Wounds i. viii. 73 The Doctor..both see and felt their scars. 1696 De La Pryme Diary (Surtees) 102 He say an ape, and playing with it, it bit his hand. 1840 Thackeray Shabby-genteel Story iii, But I never, for coolness, see such a man as you. 1874 G. J. Whyte-Melville Uncle John xiv. II. 91 He see one of 'em..go by the house this morning. |
| β 1746 G. Murray Let. 17 Apr. in C. Petrie Jacobite Movement: Last Phase (1950) v. 113, I never seed him in time of action, neither at Gledsmoor, Falkirk, nor this last. 1777 P. Thicknesse Year's Journey II. xlix. 134 An English servant..told me..that he seed her very plain. a 1800 Pegge Anecd. Eng. Lang. (1814) 111 The common people of London..will say, for instance,—‘I see'd him yesterday’; and ‘he was see'd again to-day’. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. xl, I never seed a woman hanged in a' my life. 1833 J. Neal Down-Easters I. i. 14 Never seed sich a fellow since I breathed the breath of life. 1892 Kipling Barrack-room Ballads 51 An' I seed her first a-smokin' of a whackin' white cheroot. 1893 H. A. Shands Some Peculiarities of Speech in Mississippi 55 Seed, Negro and illiterate white for saw. 1945 in B. A. Botkin Lay my Burden Down 18 He was the ugliest man I ever seed. |
b. 2nd pers. sing. sawest (sɔːɪst), sawst (sɔːst). Forms: (α) 1 sáwe, 3–4 sagh, 3–5 seȝe, 4 sau, sei(h, sihe, siȝe, 4–5 sey(e, seiȝ e, sawe, sawȝ, saugh, se, siȝ, Kent. zeȝe, 5 sawhe, say, seghe, see, sye, sogh, 5–6 saw. (β) 4–5 seiȝest, -ist, siȝest, seist, 5 sauȝ(e)st, saiest, 5–6 seest, 6 sawyste, -iste, seyst, 7– saw'st, sawst, 5– sawest.
| α [971 Blickl. Hom. 113 Þær þu ær ᵹesawe godweb mid golde ᵹefaᵹod.] a 1300 Cursor M. 9848 Bot he war ferliful to call if þou it sagh. 1315 Shoreham Hours of Cross 63 Þou seȝe hyne hyder and þyder ycached, Fram pylate to herode. c 1350 Will. Palerne 276 Sei þou euer þemperour? 1390 Gower Conf. I. 367 Thou sihe nevere thilke place. a 1400 Pistill of Susan 337 Þou sey nou,..Vnder what kynde of tre Semeli susan þou se [v.r. see] Do þat derne dede. c 1430 Hymns Virg. (1867) 12 In hir þou siȝ a semeli sete. 1563 Sackville Induct. Mirr. Mag. lxxvi, And nowe behold the thing that thou erewhile, Saw only in thought. |
| β 1383 Wyclif Dan. ii. 34 Thou siȝest [v.r. sauȝest] thus. ― Rev. i. 20 Which thou seiȝest [1382 siȝe, v.r. saiest] in my riȝt hond. Ibid. xvii. 8 The beeste which thou seist [1382 siȝe, v.rr. saiest, siȝest; 1534 Tindal, 1539 Cranmer seest] was, and is not. 1470–85 Malory Arthur iii. xii. 113 Sawest thow not..a knyghte rydynge and ledynge aweye a lady. a 1536 Songs, Carols, etc. (E.E.T.S.) 104 Sawyste thou not myn oxen? c 1537 Thersytes 501 Seyst thou any man come thys waye? 1592 Shakes. Ven. & Ad. 644 Sawest thou not signes of feare lurke in mine eye? 1602 Breton Mother's Blessing C 2 b, Winke at the world as though thou saw'st it not. 1667 Milton P.L. xi. 603 Those Tents thou sawst so pleasant, were the Tents Of wickedness. |
c. pl. saw (sɔː). Forms: (α) 1 sáwun, -an, -en, sáᵹon, 1–2 sáwon, 3 sowen, soȝen, saȝen, 3–5 sawen, 5 sauȝen; 1 séᵹun, -on, 1–2 sǽᵹon, 3 Ormin sæȝhenn, (sæȝhe we), 3–4 sæ(h)ȝen, 2 seaᵹon, 2–4 seȝen, 2–5 seien, 3–4 seiȝen, seh(ȝ)en, seoȝen, 3–5 seiȝen, seghen, seyen, 4 seyȝen, seighen, Kent. zeȝen, 4–5 saien, say(e)n, seyne, 4–6 seen, 5 seyn, sene, seon, 6 seene; 3–5 siȝen, 4 sihen, syhen, 4–5 sien, sy(ȝ)en, 5 syghen. (β) 3 sæȝe, 3–4 sagh, sau, (scau), 3–5 saȝe, 3–6 saue, 4 saghe, sach, 4–5 sawgh, sowe, 4–6 sawe, 5 sawȝ, saugh, sauhe, saȝ, so, 4– saw; 3 seh(ȝ)e, sæȝe, 3–4 seghe, sei(ȝ)e, 3, 5 seȝe, 3–5 say, sei, sey(e, 4 sehe, seih, seygh, saie, seo, Kent. zeȝe, 4–5 se(i)gh, seiȝ, 5 saye, seyȝe, seyghe, 5–6 se, 5–7, 9 (vulgar) see; 3–4 siȝe, 4 syhe, 4–5 sie, sye, siȝ, syȝ(e, sygh(e, sigh(e, 5–6 sy. (γ) 8–9 dial. and vulgar see'd (see also Eng. Dial. Dict.).
The modern vulgarism (we, you, they) seen is not connected with the α forms above, but is due to substitution of the form of the pa. pple. for that of the pa. tense; so in the sing., I, he seen (see d).
| α a 900 Cynewulf Crist 536 Þonan hy God nyhst up stiᵹende eaᵹum seᵹun. a 900 ― Elene 1104 (Gr.) Þær hie to sæᵹon. 1154 O.E. Chron. an. 1106 (Laud MS.) Forþam þe we hit sylfe ne sawon. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 280 For þi þæt ȝe ne sehen ham neauer biginnen. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3522 Ðis forfriȝted folc..Soȝen ðat figer. a 1300 Havelok 957 Alle him loueden þat him sowen. 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 256 Whan we sihen þi sonde wiþ þi sel prented, We kenden þi couaitise. c 1386 Chaucer Sec. Nun's T. 110 Right so men goostly in this mayden free Syen of feith the magnanymytee. c 1400 Mandeville (1839) xxviii. 282 Whan that thei seen the Develes visibly and bodyly alle aboute hem. 1440 J. Capgrave Life St. Kath. 1383 Whom ȝe in flesch now full late sayn. c 1450 Mirk's Festial 20 Þen seon þe byschoppys of mawmetry þat all þe pepul laft hor lawe. 15.. Scot. Field 513 in Chetham Soc. Misc. II, When the Skottes and the Ketterickes seen our men sketer, They had greate joy of their joyning. |
| β c 1205 Lay. 11970 Þu vmbe stunde ne sæȝe [c 1275 sehȝe] heo noht of londe. c 1250 Kent. Serm. in O.E. Misc. 30 Ac fore þe miracle þet hi seghe was here beliaue þe more i-strengþed. a 1300 Cursor M. 10268 Nu nan [children] we sagh [Trin. say, Laud sie] þe neuer haue. Ibid. 18451 Þir war þe priueteis we scau [Gött. sau, Trin. sawe, Laud saw], Ikarius and mi felau. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 4670 Men..wel hit sowe. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 200 So sayd al þat hym syȝe. c 1375 Cursor M. 21691 (Fairf.) Quen þai sagh [Edin. sach] als tai did oft moises lift his hende on loft. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xvi. (Magdalena) 436 For-þi abasit þai var & rad, quhene þai þame-selfine sav sa sted. a 1400 Pistill of Susan 132 Nou were þis domus men derf drawen in derne, Whiles þei seo [v.rr. saw, syghe] þat ladi was laft al hire one. c 1420 Avow. Arth. xl, Thay so a schene vndur schild. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 875 All men þat sow and stode by. c 1460 Emare 869 Alle hym loued þat hym sy. c 1550 Bale K. Johan (Camden) 81, I am as gentle a worme as ever ye see. 1877 Jefferies Gamekeeper at H. i. (1890) 19 The governor were the haughtiest man as ever you see. |
| γ 1752 Foote Taste ii. (1781) 29 The same [gentleman] that we see'd at the Painting Man's. |
d. colloq. and dial. seen (chiefly 1st pers. sing.: see also Eng. Dial. Dict.).
| 1796 Aurora (Philadelphia) 30 Sept. 3/3 So fine a sight (says Yankee to his friend) I swear I never seen—you may depend. 1850 Knickerbocker July 87 We spoke of Major Andre. ‘Oh,’ said the old lady, ‘I seen him more'n fifty times.’ 1861 T. Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. II. vii. 114 ‘Hev'ee seed aught o' my bees?’.. ‘E'es, I seen 'em.’ c 1915 in N. I. White Amer. Negro Folk-Songs (1928) iii. 146, I seen King Pharoe's daughter seeking Moses on the water. 1976 Alyn & Deeside Observer 10 Dec. 12/6 Richardson told Detective Constable Mahoney: ‘I seen this Irish bloke and followed him to the Hawarden Castle.’ |
4. subj. pres. see. Forms: sing. 1 s{iacu}o, séo, sé, see, 3 sio, seȝe, 3–4 seo, 3–5 se, 4 Kent. zi, 5 seye, 3– see. pl. 1 seon, sen, 3 seon, (so), 3–4 seo, 4–5 se, 3– see.
| [c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. x, Forðæm mæneᵹum men is leofre þæt he ær self swelte ær he ᵹesio his wif & his bearn sweltende.] c 1200 Ormin 3842 Þohh þatt he grissliȝ deofell seo, Niss he rihht nohht forrfæredd. a 1300 Cursor M. 1987 Godmen i wil þat ȝee it see. a 1340 Hampole Comm. Canticles i. 5 in Psalter (1884) 504 Depnes of hell sall hill thaim that thai se namare of thaire vanyte. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 1846 Sire, if we se with a suth surely me thinke [etc.]. 1426 Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 5704 Thogh thow seye in me Errour. |
5. subj. pa. saw. Forms: (a) sing. l sáwe, 3 sæȝhe, sæȝe, (soȝe, sowe), 3–4 saghe, 3–5 sawe, 4 sau, 4–5 saugh, 5 sauh, 6– saw; 2 seiȝe, 2–4 seie, seȝe, 3 seh(ȝ)e, 3–5 seye, 4 seigh, Kent. zeȝe, 5 see; 3 siȝe, 4 syhe, sihe.
| [c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. x, Ᵹif þu hine ᵹesawe on hwelcum eorfodum.] c 1200 Ormin 17425, & þurrh þatt he sæᵹhe þæronn He shollde takenn bote. c 1220 Bestiary 502 Ðat tu wuldes seien get, gef ðu it [the whale] soge wan it flet, ðat it were a neilond. c 1230 Hali Meid. (Titus) l. 233 Hwa þat sehe þenne hu þe engles beoð isweamed. a 1300 Havelok 1323, I woth, so wel so ich it sowe, To þe shole comen heye and lowe. 13.. K. Horn (Harl. MS.) 985 Rymenild lokede wide by þe see syde ȝef heo seȝe [a 1300 Camb. MS., If heo oȝt of horn isiȝe] horn come. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 64 And cast upward his yhe, As thogh he Cristes face syhe. |
(b) pl. 1 sáwon, -an, 4 Kent. zeȝen, 5 seen; 3–5 seie, 4–5 seiȝe, 5 seigh, sey, se, 6– saw.
| [c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xvi. §2 Ᵹif ᵹe nu ᵹesawan (etc.).] 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 5023, & vpe þe west ȝate of londone sette hit wel heye..þat men wel wide yseie [v.rr. seiȝe, sey, se]. 1340 Ayenb. 204 Hy þresten out hare eȝen of þe herte þe hi ne zeȝen þing þet ham miȝte wyþdraȝe uram hire contemplacion. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xix. 450 For þe comune..counten ful litel Þe conseille of conscience..But if þei seiȝe [v.rr. seigh, seie, seen] as by syȝte somwhat to wynnynge. 1530 Lyndesay Test. Papyngo 1057 Les skaith it war, with lycence of the Pape, That ilke Prelate one Wyfe had of his awin, Nor se thar bastardis ouirthort the cuntre blawin. |
6. imp. see. Forms: (a) sing. 1 sioh, seoh, seh, sih, 3 sih, siȝ, 3–4 seh, sai, 3–6 se, 4 seo, Kent. ziȝ, 5 say, sey, 5– see.
| a 900 Cynewulf Crist 59 Sioh nu sylfa þe ᵹeond þas sidan ᵹesceaft [etc.]. c 1310 Marina 55 in Böddeker Altengl. Dicht. (1878) 258 Nou wend & seh wher hit be. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. i. 39 For þe Fend and þi Flesch folewen to-gedere, And schendeþ þi soule seo hit in þin herte. Ibid. x. 145 So seiþ þe sauter seo hit whon þe likeþ. c 1430 Chev. Assigne 65 Sone paye þe with þy qwene & se of her berthe. 1508 Kennedie Flyting w. Dunbar 44 Se sone thow mak my commissar amendis. |
(b) pl. α 1 séoð, s{iacu}að, 3 seoþ, 4–5 se(e)þ, 5 sethe, seith, seiȝeth.
| [971 Blickl. Hom. 241 Behealdað eow and ᵹeseoð hine.] c 1350 Will. Palerne 1715 Now seþ how sone i haue spedde! 1382 Wyclif Matt. xxviii. 6 Come ȝe, and seeth [1388 se, ȝe] the place. c 1425 Cast. Persev. 494 in Macro Plays 92 Syth & sethe wel to my sawe! c 1440 Gesta Rom. i. 4 (Harl. MS.) Seith nowe, goode men. |
(β) 3 seo, 3–6 se, 6 Sc. sie, 3– see.
| a 1300–1400 Cursor M. 17288 + 151 (Cott.) He is risen & not here, be-hald þe stede & see! 1567 Gude & Godlie Ball. 142 For Christis word se ze stand for it. |
(γ) North. 3–4 sees, 3–5 seis, 4 sese.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 17797 Gas, seis [Trin. seeþ, Laud se] nu,..And yee sal find þair tumbs tome. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 3878 Seis ensampill at myselfe & seke ȝe na ferre. |
(δ) δ 5 sene.
| c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. i. 410 Hewe hit with an axe and sene If hit be not in thegge. |
7. pres. pple. seeing (ˈsiːɪŋ). Forms: 1 s{iacu}onde, s{iacu}ende, séende, seᵹende, 1–2 séonde, 3–4 seant, 3–6 seand, 4 seende, seyinge, siynge, Kent. zyinde, 4–5 seande, 4–6 seyng(e, seeynge, 5 seenge, s(e)yyng, seond, seinge, seeyng, 6 seing, seying, seeinge, 6– seeing.
| c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xiii. 13 Ᵹeseᵹende vel seende. a 1300 Cursor M. 3950 Bot þou sal be cald israel Þat es man seand godd of hel. 1382 Wyclif Gen. xvi. 4 And she [Agar] seynge hir silf that she had conseyued, dispiside hir ladi. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 220 Noght seende This meschief. 1471 Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) 23 Seyng his sorowful maner. a 1585 Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 461, I leuir haue euer Ane foule in hand, or tway, Nor seand ten fleand About me all the day. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. I. i. 100 Seing him self in sandie furdes. |
8. pa. pple. seen (siːn). Forms: (α) 1 (ᵹe)sewen, 2 sæwon, sawen, sæᵹon, se(o)ᵹon, 2–3 sewen, 2–4 seȝen, 3 (i-) sæȝen, sehen, (soȝen), Ormin seȝhenn, 3–5 sen, seien, 3–7 (8) sene, 4 sewyn, sine, 4–5 seyen, seiȝen, sain, sayn, 4–6 seyn(e, sein, 4–7 seene, 5 saine, sayne, (shene, senene), 5–7 seine, 6 seane, senne, 4– seen. (β) 3 seghe, se(i)hȝe, 3–5 sey(e, sei(ȝ)e, 4 seȝe, Kent. soȝe, zoȝe, 4–5 seyȝ(e, say, se, 5 see, sye, saye, saie. (γ) 8–9 vulgar see'd.
| α [c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xxxix. §13 Ac se steorra þe we hatað æfensteorra, þon he bið west ᵹesewen, þon tacnnað he æfen.] 11.. O.E. Chron. an. 789 (Laud MS.) Heofenlic leoht wæs ᵹelome seoᵹen ðær þer he [Alfwold] of slaᵹen wæs. 1154 Ibid. an. 1127 (Laud MS.) ad fin., Þis wæs..seᵹon on þe selue derfald in þa tune on Burch. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2785 Ic haue min folkes pine soȝen, ðat he nu longe hauen droȝen. c 1320 Sir Tristr. 466 We and our elders old, Þus þan haue we sain. c 1350 Will. Palerne 1792 Þei drow hem to a dern den for drede to be seiȝen. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xv. (Barnabas) 18 To be leile witnes, ewyne of It he had sewyn in hewyn. c 1386 Chaucer Man of Law's T. 74 Whan they han this blisful mayden sayn [v.rr. seyn, sain, seine]. c 1400 Destr. Troy 2950 Ȝet it ledis vnto laithnes and vnlefe werkes, And shotis into shame as shene has ben ofte. c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 4136 No blodus drope was senene þo þere. c 1450 Merlin 21 Neuer was seyen so wyse a man. 1533 Gau Richt Vay (1888) 29 Thay ar aluterlie seyne with the eyne of faith. 16.. Mure Sonn. to Margareit iii. 3 Wks. (S.T.S.) I. 49 Oght yat my puir eyes hath ewer seine. c 1730 Ramsay Eagle & Robin 49 Be nae mair sene At court. |
| β [c 1250 Kent. Serm. in O.E. Misc. 32 Þo men..hedde i-seghe þo miracle.] a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. xxxiv. 96 Thestri wæs seie byfore day. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. xi. 218 For I haue seiȝe it my-selfe. a 1375 How to hear Mass 107 in Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. 496 Not Blynt þat day schalt þou not be Þat þou þi sauiour hast se. 1387–8 T. Usk Test. Love i. xii. (Skeat) 1. 13 The sonne yeveth light that thinges may be seye. c 1450 Merlin 26 He hadde neuer seye them be-fore. a 1475 Bk. Noblesse (Roxb.) 70 It was the joieust and plesaunt sighte that ever the saide citesyn Lisander had see beforne. 1482 Monk of Evesham xxxvi. (Arb.) 81 It is seldynne sey yat any man of hem were very penitent. 15.. Adam Bel 410 in Hazl. E.P.P. II. 156, I had wende yester daye..Thou sholde me never have se. |
| γ a 1800 [see A. 3 β]. 1845 Great Kalamazoo Hunt in Big Bear of Arkansas 49 Well, after I had looked out for about fifteen minutes or so, and seed the boss begin to get desperately frightened, [etc.]. 1857 A. Mayhew Paved with Gold ii. v, Why, it's months since I've seed a sixpence. 1938 M. K. Rawlings Yearling xvi. 188 Seems to me I've seed it before. |
(δ) 9– U.S. colloq. and dial. saw.
| 1867 C. F. Browne A. Ward in London ii. vii. 123 We have saw a entertainment as we never saw before. 1941 J. Faulkner Men Working ii. 33 How-some-ever, I've saw them. |
B. Signification and Uses. I. The simple verb.
In most of the senses OE. and early ME. used the compound ᵹeséon, i-see, more frequently than the simple verb. Hence the paucity of early examples here.
1. a. trans. To perceive (light, colour, external objects and their movements) with the eyes, or by the sense of which the eye is the specific organ.
| Beowulf 1365 Þær mæᵹ mon..niðwundor seon, Fyr on flode. a 1000 Riddles lxxxvii. 1 (Gr.) Ic seah wundorlice wiht. 1154 O.E. Chron. an. 1122 (Laud MS.), Þæt fir hi seaᵹon in ðe dæi rime and læste swa lange þæt hit wæs liht ofer eall. c 1200 Ormin 657, & son se Zacariȝe sahh Þatt enngless brihhte leome, He warrþ forrfæredd. 1357 Lay Folks Catech. (MS. T.) 415 For he that loues noght his brothir,..how suld he loue god almighten that he seis noght. c 1450 Knt. de la Tour xx. (1906) 29 Atte her dethe was saine a grete clerete & light. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 465 b, The fourth daye of Marche began to shine a blasing starre, & is sene by the space of twelve dayes. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. ii. ii. 27 What thou seest when thou dost wake, Doe it for thy true Loue take. 1604 Drayton Moyses ii. §2 Darknes is now so palpable and much, That as 'tis seene, as easily is felt. 1614 T. Tomkis Albumazar i. iii, With this [glass] Ile read a leafe of that small Iliade..as plainly Twelue long miles off, as you see Pauls from Highgate. 1665 Phil. Trans. I. 39 In the interim..the other Comet could be seen with the naked eye. 1796 F. Burney Camilla I. 376 Sideling towards the window..[she] had heard and seen all that had passed. 1842 Tennyson Walking to Mail 7 Whose house is that I see? 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair xlviii, ‘I was in the kitchen making a pudding’. ‘I know you were, I saw you through the area railings’. 1873 Rep. Brit. Assoc. i. 141 We have seen the third edition. 1896 Law Times Rep. LXXIII. 616/2 If he had looked he must have seen the light of the approaching train. |
| Proverb. c 1450 Mirk's Festial 230 Hyt ys old Englysch sawe: A mayde schuld be seen, but not herd. 1560 T. Becon Catechism in Works I. sig. Bbb2, This also must honest maids provide, that they be not full of tongue... A maid should be seen, and not heard. 1773 R. Graves Spiritual Quix. I. iii. xviii. 179 It is a vulgar maxim, ‘that a pretty woman should rather be seen than heard’. 1858 Geo. Eliot Janet's Repent. viii, in Scenes Clerical Life II. 167 Little gells must be seen and not heard. 1908 L. M. Montgomery Anne of Green Gables ii. 22 It's such a relief to talk..and not be told that children should be seen and not heard. 1980 L. Lewis Private Life of Country House v. 63 Two or three children..supposed to be seen and not heard and not to speak unless spoken to. |
| transf. 1818 Keats Endym. i. 540 This river does not see the naked sky. 1869 H. F. Tozer Highl. Turkey I. 307 The place only sees the sun for a few hours in winter. |
† b. Pleonastically, to see with (or at) eye(s, see with, in sight. Obs.
For to see with one's own eyes, etc., see eye n.
| a 1000 Riddles lxxxiv. 31 (Gr.) Þæs þe [hio]..ælda bearn eaᵹum sawe. c 1200 Ormin 5716 To sen Drihhtin wiþþ ehne. a 1300 Havelok 1273 Þat shalt þu with þin eyne sen. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1705, & quen þay seghe hym with syȝt, þay sued hym fast. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 384 And if we take hede þus bi þis rule we schal se at yȝe how þe clergie saiþ here oþer-wyse þan it is. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. Prol. 11 But goddis forbode but men schulde leue Wel more thyng than men han seyn with eye. 1418 Man Beware 71 in 26 Pol. Poems 63 For þat ȝe hid, god seeþ in syȝt. 1430–40 Lydg. Bochas ii. Prol. (1494) fiij b, The rounde droppis of the smoth rayne which that..fall from aloft On stonys harde at the iye as it is seyne Perceth their hardnesse with their fallinge ofte. c 1475 Parteney 51 A roial gret feste, A more worshipful neuer sayn with eye. |
c. predicated of the eye.
| a 1225 Leg. Kath. 1733 Nan eorðlich ehe ne mei hit seon, ich segge. a 1300 Cursor M. 4508 Hert sun for-gettes þat ne ei seis. c 1421 Lessons of Dirige 318 in 26 Pol. Poems 117 Noon eyȝe hadde sene me after son. 1620 Sir T. Wroth Destr. Troy, etc. Epigr. 16 marg., That which the eye sees not the heart neuer rues. 1750 Johnson Rambler No. 102 ¶4 An expanse of waters..covered with so thick a mist that the most perspicacious eye could see but a little way. |
d. To behold (visual objects) in imagination, or in a dream or vision. So to see a vision, † to see a dream. Also in phr. to see things, to suffer hallucinations or false imaginings; (usu. colloq. as pres. pple.).
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 109 Þe holi prophete abacuc..seh suterliche fele of þe wundren þe ure helende dide siðen. a 1300 Cursor M. 4533 Aiþ er of hus a drem we sau And he us bad til him it scau. 1382 Wyclif Gen. xl. 8 A sweuen we han seen [1388 We seiȝen a dreem], and ther is not that wol vndo it vs. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 99 Here take heed þat Danill seigh ten sightes. c 1450 Myrr. our Ladye 27 The holy Patryarke Jacob se a vysyon in a place callyd Bethel. 1538 Bale Thre Lawes v. F v b, A newe Hierusalem the sayd Johan also se. 1800 Wordsw. Reverie of Poor Susan 5 She sees A mountain ascending, a vision of trees. 1848 Dickens Dombey xxxii, He saw himself, in his mind's eye, put meekly into a hackney coach. 1859 Helps Friends in C. Ser. ii. (1877) I. viii. 201, I see, with my mind's eye, a statue of Dunsford raised in Tollerporcorum. 1922 M. A. von Arnim Enchanted April iii. 48 Mrs. Fisher..had no wish to find herself shut up..with somebody who saw things... It would be disagreeable..if Mrs. Wilkins were suddenly to assert that she saw Mr. Fisher. Mr. Fisher was dead; let him remain so. 1928 Kipling Woman in his Life in Limits & Renewals (1932) 47 After a drink or two..he told the tale of a friend who ‘saw things’. 1935 A. Christie Three Act Tragedy iii. vii. 180 Says I imagined it. Says I was ‘seeing things’. 1953 B. Glemser Dove on his Shoulder ii. 13 ‘I must be seeing things’, the major said... ‘You alcoholic bastard.’ 1977 ‘D Rutherford’ Return Load ii. 31 Was I seeing things or was that Sally driving your truck? |
e. With n. or pron. and inf. as compound obj.
When see is used in the passive the infinitive is normally preceded by to; when in the active, the to is omitted. In early use, however, exceptions are not uncommon.
In mod. English this construction differs from the use of the pres. pple. as complement (see 1 g) in implying a reference to the ability of the subject to give testimony as to the fact or the manner of the action predicated; compare, e.g. ‘I have seen him walk’ with ‘I have seen him walking’. In early examples the inf. is often found where we should now use the complementary pple.
| a 1000 Riddles lii. 1 (Gr.) Ic seah wrætlice wuhte feower samed siþian. 1154 O.E. Chron. an. 1127 (Laud MS.) ad fin., Þa sæᵹon & herdon fela men feole huntes hunten. c 1200 Ormin 10676 He sahh þære Godess Gast, Inn aness cullfress like, Off heoffne cumenn upponn Crist & upponn himm bilefenn. c 1230 Hali Meid. (Titus) l. 193 He seð [MS. Bodl. sið] þefolhen hire treoden, meiden. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 16 Cristene men oȝen ben so faȝen So fueles arn quan he it sen daȝen. 13.. Seuyn Sages (W.) 1258 And do als tou sest me do. a 1352 Minot Poems (ed. Hall) vii. 70 Þat fire ful many folk gan fere, When þai se brandes o ferrum flye. c 1381 Chaucer Parl. Foules 211 Vndyr a tre be-syde a welle I say Cupide oure lord hise arwis forge & file. 1382 Wyclif Gen. xxxvii. 25 And sittynge for to eet breed, thei seen Ysmaelitis weie⁓goers to comen fro Galaad. 1382 ― Mark ix. 37 Maistir, we syȝen [1388 sayn] sum oon for to caste out fendis in thi name. 1471 Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) 34 Whan Iasius sawe hys broder come all in armes, all his blood began to chaunge. 1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. Table Y ij b, Phocion was never seen laugh ne wepe. 1576 Turberv. Venerie xxx. 80 But here he shall marke one secrete: that he go not aboute to herbor an Harte an houre at least after he see him go to layre. 1577 Kendall Flowers of Epigr. 28 That thou wilt not be seen to talke with any others wife. 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. i. i. 179, I saw her corrall lips to moue. 1596 Danett tr. Comines (1614) 159 But some of them reported that he was seen flie, and was escaped. 1731 Medley Kolben's Cape G. Hope II. 101 When you see him [the elephant] march, you are amazed at the Ground he rids. 1779 Mirror No. 27 As he looked at it, I saw the tears start from his eyes. 1805 Scott Last Minstr. vi. xxiii, O'er Roslin all that dreary night A wondrous blaze was seen to gleam. 1862 Thackeray Philip iii, I could see the diamond twinkle on his pretty hand. 1894 ‘Max O'Rell’ John Bull & Co. 2, I have seen French people laugh side-splittingly. |
† f. With ellipsis of indefinite obj. (some one) before the infinitive. Obs. rare. (A Gallicism.)
| c 1350 Will. Palerne 5071 Whan bordes were born adoun & burnes hade waschen, Men miȝt haue seie to menstrales moche god ȝif. c 1489 Caxton Blanchardyn xxix. 110 What so euer goode sporte & pleysure that blanchardyn sawe ther make for his sake. |
g. With obj. and compl. (adj., pple., or phrase).
| a 900 Cynewulf Crist 1270 Hy. grim hellefyr, ᵹearo to wite ondweard seoð. c 1200 Ormin 3829 Forr Godess enngell rofreþþ mann, Ȝiff þatt he seoþ himm færedd. c 1275 Passion our Lord 495 in O.E. Misc. 51 Þo heo comen to ihesu crist and seyen hine ded. a 1375 Joseph Arim. 269 Þenne he sauh Ihesu crist I-strauȝt vppon þe Roode. c 1386 Chaucer Frankl. T. 122 Where as she many a shipe and barge seigh Seillynge hir cours where as hem liste go. c 1400 Mandeville (1839) iv. 24 Though thou see me hidouse and horrible to loken onne. 1470–85 Malory Arthur iii. xii. 113 Sawest thow not saide Pellinore a knyghte rydynge and ledynge aweye a lady. 1536 Primer Eng. & Lat. 64 b, Sone after none thys mother..Sawe from the body [of her son], the soule departynge. 1621 G. Sandy Ovid's Met. ii. (1626) 39 Saw'st thou no cattel through these fields conuay'd? 1709 Pope Let. to Cromwell 7 May, In which time all the verses you see added, have been written. 1821 Scott Kenilw. xxiv, They..had just seen the little party..crossing the summit of a gentle hill. 1862 Mrs. H. Wood Mrs. Hallib. iii. vi, They are acquiring self-respect... They wouldn't be seen in the street now in rags, or the worse for drink. 1865 Swinburne Chastelard ii. i. 52, I say what I saw done. |
h. To distinguish by sight from.
| c 1450 Brut 591 Kyng Herry..leete cere hym [K. Richard]..in a fayre cheste, closyd alle in lynnyn clothe, saaf his visage, whiche was lefte opyn, þat men myht see & know his persone from alle othir men. 1862 Mrs. H. Wood Mrs. Hallib. ii. iv, I can't see one sort from another; we must have candles. |
i. In various phrases (some of which occur chiefly in figurative use), to see the colour of (a person's money), to see double, to see the light, to see one's way: see the associated words; to see red: see red n.1 1 f. to see (a person) coming, to make out one who can be fooled or deceived. Also in proverbial phrase when you've seen one, you've seen them all; a conjuror's phrase now you see him, now you don't, and varr.
| c 1811 Blake Public Address in Writings (1978) II. 1046 When you have seen one of their Pictures you have seen all. 1869 ‘Mark Twain’ Innocents Abr. xxiii. 177 To me it seemed that when I had seen one of these martyrs I had seen them all. 1931 T. R. G. Lyell Slang, Phrase & Idiom 671 D'you mean to say you paid {pstlg}100 for that car? My dear fellow, they must have seen you coming! As scrap iron, it's worth perhaps {pstlg}10—not a penny more!! 1949 G. Davenport Family Fortunes ii. iv. 145 ‘If you've seen one you've seen them all,’ said Sam. 1967 T. Stoppard Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead ii. 62 It's just a man failing to reappear, that's all—now you see him, now you don't. 1973 Illustr. London News May 100/4, I know many people who feel that once you've seen one Jancso film, you've seen them all. 1980 G. M. Fraser Mr American xix. 370 If the American..had subsequently proved to be of moderate means, would he have been quite so welcome?.. Old Man Clayton had seen him coming. 1980 P. G. Winslow Counsellor Heart xx. 221 The only way is to..have them think it's something else. Now you see it, now you don't. |
j. transf. or fig. of radar equipment, cameras, artificial satellites, etc.
| 1923 E. W. Marchant Radio Telegr. & Teleph. iv. 36 The method that was described by Hertz for detecting or ‘seeing’ radio waves was to use a spark gap in a circuit which was tuned to the frequency of the waves. 1945 Rev. Sci. Instruments XVI. 46/1 The photo-tube camera is mounted beneath the photofluorograph hood and ‘sees’ the object image on the screen which is ‘seen’ by the photographic camera at the apex of the hood. 1952 E. Larsen Radar works like This 9 Thus the picture of what the waves ‘see’ is built up from glowing blobs on the screen. 1957 T. Adler Seeing Earth from Space v. 126 The earth satellite Vanguard II..looks down on the earth from a much greater height than 86 miles. So it can see more of the earth than the camera that took this picture did. 1975 D. G. Fink Electronics Engineers' Handbk. xxv. 4 When connected to the antenna, the receiver sees a low-noise background of empty space, modified by surrounding terrain or sea surfaces and atmosphere, [etc.]. |
2. a. absol. and intr. To perceive objects by sight. Formerly often, to have the faculty of sight, not to be blind (now commonly expressed by can see).
can see often means to have sufficient light or power of vision to see as clearly as is necessary for some contextually implied purpose. Sometimes an inf. of purpose follows, as ‘I can see to read, but not to paint’.
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3108 He adden liȝt and sowen wel. a 1300 Cursor M. 6706 Qua smites vte his thains eie, And mas him vn-mighti for-to seie,..He sal [etc.]. 1382 Wyclif John ix. 11, I wente, and waischide, and syȝ [1388 say; the O.E. versions have ᵹeseah]. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) II. 191 Tiberius Cesar sigh more clereliche in derkenesse þan in liȝt. 1426 Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 3306 To sen, myn Eyen ben to blynde. c 1450 Mirk's Festial 54 And when he layde his hondys on his hed, anon he segh. a 1586 Sidney Arcadia iii. (Sommer) 268 b, The first had his eyes cut out so, as he could not see to bid the neare following death welcome. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. iii. ii. 124 But her eies, How could he see to doe them? 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. Prol. I. 5 The beimes of the Sone, al Scotland throuch, the hail nychte ar sein, the space of twa monethis..in sik brichtnes that esilie thay may sie to reid and wryte. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts 466 Lions, Beares, Tygres, and their whelpes are not able to see, stand or goe, for many monthes. 1712 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. to W. Montagu 9 or 11 Dec., I write and read till I can't see, and then I walk. 1743 Pococke Descr. East I. ii. ii. 80 We could not see before us any further than in a very thick fog. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones vii. iv, When he repaired to her bed he was generally so drunk that he could not see. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) II. 153 He was, at first, couched only in one of his eyes; and, when he saw for the first time, he was so far from judging of distances, that [etc.]. 1820 Keats St. Agnes xxxix, There are no ears to hear, or eyes to see. 1820 Scott Abbot xix, Why, man, it was but a switch across the mazzard—blow your nose, dry your eyes, and you will see all the better for it. 1861 G. J. Whyte-Melville Mkt. Harb. xxv, It was a bad day to see; a bad day to hear; above all, a bad day to ride. |
| Prov. 1546 Heywood Prov. i. x. Wks. (1562) C iij, She thought..she had seene far in a milstone. 1718 S. Centlivre Bold Stroke for Wife ii. 31, I am sorry such a well-invented Tale should do you no more Service. We old Fellows can see as far into a Mill-stone, as him that picks it. 1862 H. Kingsley Ravenshoe II. ix. 80 He could see through a brick wall as well as most men. 1885 C. M. Yonge Two Sides of Shield II. i. 16 He should defer his letter till he had..talked to his sister Jane, who could see through a milestone any day. 1920 ‘Sapper’ Bull-Dog Drummond v. 127 He could see farther into a brick wall than most of the people who called him a fool. 1978 A. Price '44 Vintage xviii. 204 I had a grandma could see clear through me and a brick wall both, so it's no surprise you can figure us. |
b. With ellipsis of an obj. implied by the context.
| c 1160 Hatton Gosp. John xx. 29 Þu ᵹe-lyfdest for-þan þu me ᵹe-seaᵹe. Þa sænden eadiᵹe þe ne seaᵹen [c 1000 Ags. Gosp. ᵹe-sawon] & ᵹe-lyfdon. a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. ix. 36 The water that it wetes yn, Y-wis hit wortheth al to wyn, that seȝen seyden so. 1382 Wyclif Ezek. viii. 10 And I gon in, seeȝ; and loo! 1832 Tennyson Sisters 163 The sweet dwelling of her eyes Upon me when she thought I did not see. 1888 Kipling Soldiers Three, In Matter of a Private, People who have seen say that one of the quaintest spectacles of human frailty is an outburst of hysterics in a girls' school. |
3. a. (fig.) trans. To perceive mentally (an immaterial object, a quality, etc.); to apprehend by thought (a truth, the answer to a question), to recognize the force of (a demonstration). Often with reference to metaphorical light or eyes. Also, to foresee or forecast (an event, trend, etc.); U.S., to understand (a person). Also, to see (something) coming: to foresee or anticipate.
As the sense of sight affords far more complete and definite information respecting external objects than any other of the senses, mental perceptions are in many (perh. in all) languages referred to in visual terms, and often with little or no consciousness of metaphor.
| c 1200 Ormin 13590 Whamm þu þurrh Drihhtin sest nuȝȝu Wiþþ innsihht off þin herrte. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 477 Ah sone se ich seh þe leome of þe soðe lare þæt leadeð to eche lif, ich leafde al þæt oðer. a 1250 Owl & N. 950 Heo..so for-leost al hire liht, þat heo ni siþ [Jesus MS. syhþ] soð ne riht. c 1330 Spec. Gy de Warw. 657 If þu couþest knowe and se Þe uertu of humilite [etc.]. a 1400 Chaucer Merciles Beaute 10 For with my deeth the trouthe shal be sene. 1426 Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 2739 Now haue I told (ye sen yt wel,) Touchyng thys swerd euerydel. c 1537 Thersytes 59 Your mynde now I se. c 1553 Earl of Bath Let. in Gage Hengrave (1822) 141 And except the bishop wold wincke at the same, and wold not see it, there is no law can assure it before he were priest. 1594 Lyly Mother Bombie ii. iii, We gird them and flout them out of all scotch and notch, and they cannot see it. 1609 Carleton in Crt. & Times Jas. I (1848) I. 95 He may well be deceived, for I see no better benefice for him at his return than to serve as a clerk. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xxvi. 148 From seeing the Extraordinary wisdome..of his Actions. 1721 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. to C'tess Mar (1893) I. 457 The first of those ladies is on the brink of Scotland for life. She does not care; to say truth, I see no very lively reasons why she should. 1768 Whately in Grenville Papers (1853) IV. 294 Lord Temple says that he sees no objection to your coming up. 1825 T. Hook Sayings Ser. ii. Passion & Princ. ix. III. 164 She saw nothing before her but distress and misery. 1827 Scott Chron. Canongate Introd., I did not immediately see the purpose of his lordship's question. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. vi. II. 63 Nor did he ever see his error till [etc.]. 1872 E. Eggleston End of World xxiii. 158 ‘[I] see yer,’ said Bill, trying in vain to draw his coat. 1873 J. H. Beadle Undevel. West xx. 369 ‘Marshal's got a good thing, though.’ I see you; best place to make money in the United States. 1884 Manch. Exam. 10 May 5/4 As soon as the question was put it was easy to see the course which the Government would take. 1888 ‘J. S. Winter’ Bottle's Childr. ix, Then why didn't you tell Geoffrey you didn't see the good of sending so many? 1946 G. B. Shaw Geneva Pref. 7 Historians and newspaper editors can see revolutions three centuries off but not three years off. 1966 M. Woodhouse Tree Frog xxii. 161 ‘Let me guess... I know radar and guidance.’.. I nodded. I could see it coming a mile off. 1971 Times 16 June 21/5 Boost in gas reserves seen... The Soviet Union will expand production of oil..and of natural gas..over ‘the coming years’. 1974 ‘E. Lathen’ Sweet & Low xv. 149 Thatcher sympathized with him. This was one he had not seen coming, either. |
b. With obj. a clause or an indirect question.
| a 1000 Ags. Ps. lvii. 9 (Gr.) Soðfæst blissað, þonne he sið onᵹan hu þa arleasan ealle forweorðað. c 1200 Ormin Introd. 47 Nu mihht tu sen þatt tatt wass rihht Þatt mannkinn for till helle. a 1300 Cursor M. 1165 ‘Lauerd,’ he said, ‘now see i well Mi sin me has seit in vnsell.’ c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 795 That whan sche say hire tyme myghte be At nygh sche stal a wey ful pryuyly. 1470–85 Malory Arthur xiii. xix. 639 Now I see and vnderstande that myn old synne hyndereth me and shameth me. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon lvii. 191, I can not se but we are lyke to dye. 1551 R. Robinson tr. More's Utopia i. (1895) 102 Wherby I can not see what good they haue doone, but that men may more sickerlye be euell. 1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. iii. xiii. 33, I see mens Iudgements are A parcell of their Fortunes. c 1645 Howell Lett. (1655) II. xviii. 30 Therefore I do not see how she could support a war long to any purpose if Castile were quiet. 1716 Addison Freeholder No. 22 ¶2, I only answered, that I did not see how the badness of the weather could be the King's fault. 1778 Geraldina I. 30 You see how rusticated I am, by writing on such uninteresting subjects. 1813 Sketches of Character (ed. 2) I. 123, I dont see what there is for me to say. 1856 J. H. Newman Serm. Var. Occ. i. (1881) 8 And thus you see, my brethren, how that particular temptation comes about. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) III. 219, I see that you are speaking your mind. 1895 E. B. Rowlands in Law Times XCIX. 464/2 It is at the first look hard to see why the Court of Appeal should ever have been troubled with Wegg-Prosser v. Evans. |
c. With obj. and infinitive or † compl.
| 1435 Misyn Fire of Love 82 Vnwerily it byrnys þo þingis to fulfil þat it seys & knawes plesynge to god. c 1449 Pecock Repr. i. vii. 34 That what he siȝe to be trewe bifore in doom of resoun and lawe of kinde he toold out to hise herers. 1584 B. R. tr. Herodotus ii. 101 b, But seeyng hym⁓selfe in these braakes, hee called hys brother [etc.]. a 1700 Evelyn Diary 25 July 1673, Besides he saw the Dutch warr..very unprosperous. 1700 Dryden Sigism. & Guisc. 276 The Youth, who saw His forfeit Life abandon'd to the Law. 1743 J. Morris Serm. vii. 190 But surely every one must see this to be highly absurd. |
d. In literary use, expressions like ‘we have seen’, ‘we shall see’, ‘the reader has now seen’, etc., are common with reference to what has been or is to be narrated or proved in the book.
| 1422 tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. ii. 128 But whate myschefe folwyth of chynchry and folargesse, ye schal sene hit aftyr in this boke. 1560 Whitehorn Machiavel's Arte of Warre v. 72 You shall see..howe moche trouble and disease an armie and a capitaine is auoided of. 1820 Keats Lamia i. 201 Why this fair creature chose so faerily By the wayside to linger, we shall see. 1846 Carpenter Man. Phys. §843 We shall presently see reason to believe, that a very large proportion of the movements of many of the lower animals are of this reflex character. 1869 Ruskin Q. of Air i. §38 We saw before the reason why Hermes is said to be the son of Maia. 1893 Kipling Many Invent., Lost Legion, What..the English did will be seen later on [in the story]. |
† e. Phrase, all things seen: all things being duly considered. Obs.
| c 1449 Pecock Repr. ii. viii. 186 Wherfore, alle thingis seen, this present v⊇. reule, or supposicion is trewe. |
f. absol. Often with virtual ellipsis of obj.-clause, esp. in parenthetic use, or preceded by as or so. Also as figurative application of sense 2 and colloq. with omission of the second person subj. pronoun, appended parenthetically to a statement, freq. implying refusal to tolerate dissent, or as a mere filler; also standing alone (= ‘do you see?’) as an interrogative, with similar force.
I see: often used colloq. in assenting to an explanation or argument. you see: sometimes appended parenthetically to a statement of a fact known to the hearer which explains or excuses something that provokes surprise or blame.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 2137 O þis thre com all, as þou sais, Has bene in werld and yeit beis. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 251 Bot thei weren blinde, And sihen noght so fer as he. c 1485 Digby Myst., Mary Magd. 507 Lady, þis man is for ȝow, as I se can. 1570 T. Wilson tr. Demosth. Orat. vii. 98 And as farre as I can see, the daunger that we are in, is farre different from other folkes. 1657 Cromwell Sp. 21 Apr. in Carlyle Lett. & Sp. (1845) II. 582 Because, you see, the present Government has 1,900,000 l.; and [etc.]. 1706 Farquhar Recruiting Officer i. i, Look'ee Serjeant, no Coaxing, no Wheedling, d'ye see. 1741–2 Challoner Missionary Priests (1803) II. 19 All the sanguinary laws enacted by queen Elizabeth were from time to time put in execution by this king,..as we shall see anon. 1753 Richardson Grandison (1754) III. xviii. 246 Surely..a man of common penetration may see to the bottom of a woman's heart. 1802–12 Bentham Ration. Judic. Evid. (1827) II. 578 A man who..if he saw to the bottom of his own mind, would acknowledge [etc.]. 1818 Byron Juan i. xcvii, Whether it was she did not see, or would not, Or, like all very clever people, could not. 1823 Scott Quentin D. v, ‘I see,’ answered his uncle—‘I comprehend. Cunning rogues—very cunning!’ 1855 Browning Bp. Blougram 3 We ought to have our Abbey back, you see. 1859 Helps Friends in C. Ser. ii. (1877) I. viii. 216 The man who sees too widely is nearly sure to be indecisive, or to appear so. 1873 F. Hall Mod. Eng. 344 He replies, as we have seen, that he had anticipatively considered and rejected every view that I present. 1892 Macmillan's Mag. July 229 A few corns of wheat must always drop off, you see, before one can get the harvest. 1952 J. Bingham My Name is Michael Sibley xv. 183 You and me have got to understand each other right, see? 1959 N. Mailer Advts. for Myself (1961) 39 Listen, bud, you ain't talkin' to Joe Crap, see; you watch what you say with me. 1968 Listener 19 Dec. 810/3, I believe in having a go, see, so long as there's some fun in it, see. 1976 T. Sharpe Wilt v. 45 There was this student all dressed up like a waiter see. |
g. trans. To have a particular mental view of; to perceive, apprehend, or appreciate in a particular manner. Also absol. esp. in to see with = to agree in opinion with another person.
For to see eye to eye, see eye n. 5.
| a 1586 Sidney Arcadia ii. (Sommer) 173 Alas, incomparable Philoclea, thou euer seest me, but dost neuer see me as I am. 1786 Burns To a Louse viii, O wad some Pow'r the giftie gie us To see oursels as others see us! 1892 Kipling in Sun (N.Y.) 28 Aug. ii. 6/2 Each, in his separate star, Shall draw the Thing as he sees It for the God of Things as they are! a 1911 Mod. I now see the matter in a new light. I wish you could see with me on this question. 1934 E. O'Neill Days without End iii. ii. 113 He sees it clearly as a throwback to boyhood experiences. 1976 M. Machlin Pipeline xi. 135 Dad's idea of an oil man is a financier in a starched collar... I see it more like the way you did things Gramps. |
h. To perceive (good or attractive qualities) in a person or thing, often in an interrogative clause; to perceive (a certain characteristic or type) in a person or thing.
| 1832 Scott Ct. Rob. in Tales My Landlord 4th Ser. i. iv. 113 Hereward, though flattered by the unusual degree of attention which the Princess bestowed upon him, saw in her only the daughter of his Emperor. 1835 Browning Paracelsus iii. 419 A professorship At Basil! Since you see so much in it. 1863 ‘Ouida’ Held in Bondage I. viii. 193 What could De Vigne possibly see in that woman? 1864 J. Bryce Holy Rom. Emp. 62 He put to death the rebel Crescentius, in whom modern enthusiasm has seen a patriotic republican. 1916 ‘Taffrail’ Pincher Martin vii. 114 Can't think what he sees in her. 1927 A. P. Herbert Plain Jane 95 I'm not a jealous woman, But I can't see what he sees in her. 1971 P. O'Donnell Impossible Virgin v. 107 She said quietly, ‘Don't ask me what I see in him, please... Don't make judgments.’ |
i. To recognize the rightness or desirability of (an idea or thing); to give credence to, believe, accept; to consent to (a proposal). Usu. with it. colloq. (orig. U.S.).
| 1850 California Courier (San Francisco) 14 Nov. 2/2 This may be all right—but if it is, we cannot see it. 1860 R. Nicholson Autobiogr. 67 ‘Get up, my man, and let us go on,’ said the stranger, almost throttling Cracroft. That worthy gentleman, however, ‘could not see it’, as we now say in modern slang. With a struggle he stammered that he had lost the wager. 1864 Hotten Slang Dict. 223 In street parlance, ‘to see’ is to know or believe; ‘I don't see that,’ i.e., ‘I don't put faith in what you offer, or I know what you say to be untrue.’ 1877 H. Ruede Sod-House Days (1937) 8 The hack driver wanted us to go with him to Osborne, but the fare was $3.50 (trunks extra) and we ‘could not see it’. 1890 Kipling in United Service Mag. June 236, I said..‘I don't keep a canteen up my sleeve.’ They couldn't see it. 1934 G. B. Shaw Too True to be Good ii. 60 But the old man never could be brought to see it. He said the proper profession for me was the bar. 1945 J. L. Marshall Santa Fe vii. 98 Fred then tried to interest the Burlington in his idea... But the Burlington couldn't see it. 1971 ‘E. Lathen’ Longer the Thread (1972) vi. 65, I know that's what it looks like... But, for the life of me, I can't see it. |
j. Usu. in negative or interrogative context with personal obj. (esp. refl.) and compl. (pple. or phrase): to perceive in one's mind's eye; to envisage as possible or acceptable.
| 1875 L. Troubridge Jrnl. 2 June in J. Hope-Nicholson Life amongst Troubridges (1966) x. 117 My dreadful yellow that I don't see myself wearing at all. 1915 R. Brooke Let. 26 Jan. (1968) 657, I don't ‘see’ Viola [Tree] as the Lithuanian. 1926 Chesterton in W. R. Titterton G. K. Chesterton (1936) ii. vii. 169, I do not quite see myself as the President of the League of Little People. 1955 R. Bannister First Four Minutes 16, I could not see myself in the winning place. 1962 M. Trevor Newman 441 He stuck to his opinion that Bayswater was not the place for them; he could not see Faber going there. 1976 M. Machlin Pipeline iv. 45, I can't see dying because of your feelings about conservation. |
4. a. trans. With mixed literal and figurative sense: To perceive by visual tokens. With obj. a n. (denoting a fact, quality, state of things), more frequently a clause or an indirect question. Also with obj. and predicative complement (now usually introduced by to be).
| c 1200 Ormin 2930 He sahh þatt ȝho wiþþ childe wass, & nisste he nohht whæroffe. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. vi. 15 Moni Cros on his cloke..And þe vernicle bi-fore for men schulde him knowe, And seo be his signes whom he souht hedde. c 1400 Love Bonavent. Mirr. (1908) 23 Sche was sad and invariable: so ferforth that as sche profited better and better, so was there none that euere syhe or herde hir wrooth. 1426 Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 24272 Thou mayst se by my lokkes hore And by ryvels of my visage How that I am called ‘Age’. 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) V. 439 This man instructe in astronomy, see in the firmament þat his realme scholde be destroyede. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon iv. (1885) 120 ‘Syres’, answered Reynawde, ‘ye enquere over moche; see ye not what folke we ben’. 1513 Douglas æneis viii. xii. 73 Actius Appollo, seand in the skye Off this melle the doutsum victorie. 1622 Mabbe tr. Aleman's Guzman d'Alf. i. 34 Perceiuest thou not how impatient I am? Seest thou not that I can not containe my selfe? 1765 Foote Commissary i, Don't you see I am tired to death? 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair xlvi, She was never seen angry but twice or thrice in her life. |
b. The construction with n. or pron. as obj. is sometimes combined with that with an obj.-clause. Now only poet.
Common in the Bible as literal rendering of a Heb. idiom, but app. also developed independently in Eng.
| 1382 Wyclif Gen. xii. 14 Egipciens sawen the woman that she was ful fayre. c 1430 Chev. Assigne 26 Se ȝe þe ȝonder pore womman how þat she is pyned Withe twynlenges two. c 1440 Alphabet of Tales 427 Þe knyghtis of Rome saw Vaspasyan, at he was a nobyl man and a redy to cowncell. 1575 Gammer Gurton i. iv. 15 Here is a prety matter, to see this gere how it goes. 1842 Tennyson Morte d'Arthur 123, I see thee what thou art. |
c. To learn by reading.
Often idiomatically in present tense, I see = I have just read (esp. in a newspaper) that something has happened.
| 1426 Audelay Poems 6 In the gospel thou sist. 1612 Skelton Don Quixote iv. v. (1620) 338 What then can you say to me of the good Don Cirongilio of Thracia, who was so animous and valiant as may be seene in his booke? 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xxvi. 150, I could never see in any Author, what a Fundamental Law signifieth. 1765 H. Walpole in Jesse Selwyn & Contemp. (1843) II. 11 A propos, I see by the papers, that the Bishop of London is suppressing mass-houses. 1847 Thackeray Lett. (1887) 8 Did you see her death in the paper? 1881 Saintsbury Dryden 13 One thing in particular I have never seen fairly put as accounting for the complete royalization of nearly the whole people. |
d. intr. To read music. colloq.
| 1955 L. Feather Encycl. Jazz 347 See, read (music). ‘He doesn't see too well’ refers to a performer who reads music slowly. 1970 C. Major Dict. Afro-Amer. Slang 101 See,..to read music. |
5. a. trans. To direct the sight (literal or metaphorical) intentionally to; to look at, contemplate, examine, inspect, or scrutinize; to visit (a place); to attend (a play, etc.) as a spectator. (Cf. to see on, 21.) Also to see and (to) be seen; hence see-and-be-seen attrib. phr.
| a 1225 Leg. Kath. 2085 Þæt alle weren isihen hider for to seon þis feorlich. a 1300 Havelok 1021 For it ne was non horse-knaue,..Þat he ne kam þider, þe leyk to se. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. ii. 163 Soþnesse sauh hem wel and seide bote luyte, Bote prikede on his palfrey and passede hem alle. c 1386 Chaucer Wife's Prol. 552, I hadde the bettre leyser for to pleye And for to se and eek for to be seye Of lusty folk. 1471 Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) 281 Whan they had seen and beholde the monstre ynowh they departed thens. c 1590 Faire Em ii. i. 97 Two gentlemen..Oft times resort to see and to be seene Walking the streete fast by thy fathers dore. 1592 Nashe P. Penilesse F 3, Gameing,..drinking, or seeing a play. 1600 Surflet Country Farm i. vi. 27 Let him not goe to see the towne, except it be vpon his earnest affaires. 1604 Shakes. Oth. ii. i. 37 Let's to the Sea-side (hoa) As well to see the Vessell that's come in, As to throw-out our eyes for braue Othello. 1642 D. Rogers Naaman 113 Their answer was, I am to goe see a farme, I haue bought oxen. 1645 Symonds Diary (Camden) 221 One of the statues was serjeant-at-law, the other a soldjer. See the fashion of the serjeant's habit. 1693 Rymer Short View Trag. i. 6 Some go to see, others to hear a Play. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. ii. 704 Whose Mind, unmov'd, the Bribes of Courts can see, Their glitt'ring Baits, and Purple Slavery. 1710 Swift Jrnl. to Stella 13 Dec., [We] set out..to the Tower, and saw all the sights. 1721 De Foe Mem. Cavalier (1840) 148 By their faces,..they durst see an enemy. 1738 Swift Polite Conv. 41 Her Ladyship went to see, and to be seen. 1828 W. Scott Jrnl. 3 May (1972) 468 After the dinner I went to Mrs. Scott of Harden to see and be seen by her nieces. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair li, My father took me to see a show at Brookgreen Fair. 1878 Athletic World 17 May 79/1 The finish was one worth going miles to see. 1881 Freeman in W. R. W. Stephens Life & Lett. (1895) II. 236 We have trotted about, been into Canada, and seen the sights. a 1911 W. S. Gilbert Lost Bab Ballads (1932) 31 To see and be seen is for what we pay At Islington on the half-crown day. 1960 Times 3 June 6/5 London audiences to which the social see-and-be-seen set attaches itself. 1961 Economist 25 Nov. 770/1 This mixing of ‘blind’ traffic with see-and-be-seen aircraft is particularly dangerous in overcrowded terminal areas. |
b. With n. or pron. as obj. and complementary pple. or inf. Cf. 1 g.
| 1903 F. M. Crawford Uncanny Tales (1911) 146 (Man Overboard!) So I wrote to Jack that I would come down and see him married. |
† c. absol. To look. Obs. (Cf. 17–25.)
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2169 It semet wel ðat ȝe spies ben, And in-to ðis lond cumen to sen. a 1300 Cursor M. 17288 + 447 Gropes & sees oueralle, and knaw þat it be. c 1425 Seven Sag. (P.) 781 Toward the credyl as he saythe, The good grew-hond lay and syȝe. 1484 Caxton Fables of Alfonce xiii, He..sawe and serched al aboute here and there. |
d. trans. To look at, read (a book, document, etc.). seen and allowed, seen and approved, etc.: a formula used in certifying the official inspection of a document.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 26593 Þe quilk [circumstances] grathli þe sal be kend, If þou þis bok will se till end. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. ii. 70 Thanne..lyer..preide cyuile to se and symonye to rede it. c 1386 Chaucer Man of Law's T. 711 And what þat he this pitous lettre say fful ofte he seyde Allas and weylaway. 1426 Lydg. On Eng. Title to Crown of France Prol. in Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 133 Tho that shalle hit sene or rede. c 1450 Godstow Reg. (1905) 206 After sche had say the charters. 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §152 For I haue seen bokes of accompte of householde..& I doubte not, but [etc.]. 1576 Gascoigne Spoyle of Antw. title-p., Novem. 1576. Seene and allowed. Printed at London by Richard Jones. 1594 Nashe Unfort. Trav. Ded., Least anie man should challenge these my papers as goods vncustomd..to the seale of your excellent censure loe here I present them to bee seene and allowed. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 89 We charge and command zou, thir present letters being sene, ze cause lawfully summone A. to compeir before vs. 1621 Shuttleworths' Acc. (Chetham Soc.) 258 [At end of an account.] Seene and allowed by mee, Ric. Shuttleworthe. 1662 Acts of Sederunt (1790) 85 The defender's advocat shall return the proces, and shall write on the back the day of the return, (seen and returned), and sett his name thereto. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) II. 215 No man would advance money upon an estate without seeing the title deeds. |
e. The imperative see is used in books to refer to a passage in the same or some other work in which information will be found. Cf. mod.L. vide, F. voyez, voir, G. siehe.
| 1608 Plat Garden of Eden (ed. Bellingham 1653) 50 See more of this in Numb. 30. Ibid. 88 See before, Numb. 67. 1704 J. Harris Lex. Techn. I, Period, in Chronology, signifies a Revolution of a certain Number of Years; as the Metonick Period, the Julian Period, and the Calippick Period; which see in their proper places. 1753 Challoner Cath. Chr. Instr. 21 See St. Dionysius, L. de Eccles. 1769 Falconer Dict. Marine (1780), Rim, or Brim, a name given to the circular edge of any of the tops. See that article. 1818 Scott Rob Roy ix, See twenty-third of Queen Elizabeth, and third James First, chapter twenty-fifth. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. iii. I. 339 note, The population of Derby was 4000 in 1712. See Wolley's MS. History, quoted in Lyson's Magna Britannia. 1861 Paley æschylus (ed. 2) Persians 741 note, ὄστις, quippe qui. See on Prom. 38. 1868 Browning Ring & Bk. viii. 812 For pregnant instance let us contemplate The luck of Leonardus,—see at large Of Sicily's Decisions sixty-first. |
f. The imperative is often employed exclamatorily, either with obj. a n. or a clause introduced by what or how, or absol. as quasi-int. = Behold! Also see here, a brusque form of address used to preface an order, expostulation, reprimand, etc. Cf. look here s.v. look v. 4 a.
In OE. accompanied by the dative þe, a use which, though unrecorded in ME. or mod.Eng. literature, survives in dialects: see sithee in Eng. Dial. Dict. The corresponding plural see you! also occurs in dialects, but is apt to be confused with the interrogative see you? do you see?
| c 825 Vesp. Psalter xxxii. 18 Sehðe [ecce] eᵹan dryhtnes ofer ða ondredendan hine ᵹehyhtende soðlice in mildheortnisse his. c 975 Rushw. Gosp. Matt. xxiv. 25 Sihþe ic sæcge eow [ecce praedixi uobis]. a 1325 Prose Psalter l[i.] 6 Se! for ich am conceiued in wickednesses. c 1440 Alphabet of Tales lxxix. 61 Se! yonder gois a fayr yong man! c 1440 Gesta Rom. i. 4 (Harl. MS.) Seith nowe, goode men; þis emperour I call owre lord ihesu Criste. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems xliv. 28 Se quhat wirschep wemen suld haif than. 1522 World & Child 79 Lo my toppe I dryue in same, Se it torneth rounde. c 1570 W. Wager The longer thou livest 684 (Brandl), Se, se, woulde you iudge him a foole So sadly as he readeth on his booke! 1671 Woodhead St. Teresa i. xiv. 88 See how these Trees begin to button. c 1690 Ld. Halifax Epist. to Earl Dorset 89 See, see! Upon the Banks of Boyne he stands. 1734 Pope Ess. Man iv. 327 See the sole bliss Heav'n could on all bestow! 1739 C. Wesley Hymn, ‘Hail the Day’ v, See! He lifts his Hands above! See! He shews the Prints of Love! a 1744 Pope (J.), See what it is to have a poet in your house. 1755 Johnson, See, interjection. Lo; look; observe; behold. 1807 Wordsw. Mother's Return xii, But see, the evening star comes forth! 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. xxx, See there!—that was the gait my auld joe used to cross the country. 1821 ― Kenilw. xii, ‘See you, sir!’ said he, ‘I have changed my garb from that of a farrier to a serving-man.’ 1871 R. Ellis Catullus lv. 12 See! what bowery roses; here he hides him. 1898 G. B. Shaw Mrs. Warren's Profession ii. 185 Now see here, George: what are you up to about that girl? 1925 F. Scott Fitzgerald Great Gatsby vii. 152 ‘Now see here, Tom,’ said Daisy, turning around from the mirror. 1941 J. D. Carr Case of Constant Suicides ii. 29 ‘See here,’ pursued Alan... ‘Let us get this straight.’ 1974 G. Jenkins Bridge of Magpies ix. 148 ‘See here,’ I said. ‘There's been another death. I want you to signal the fisheries frigate.’ |
6. a. With indirect question as obj.: To ascertain by inspection, inquiry, experiment, or consideration.
In modern use, a promise ‘to see what one can do’, or ‘to see if one can do (so and so)’ commonly implies a promise to use one's best endeavours to secure the desired result.
| 1373 Barbour Bruce v. 126 A quhill in Carrik lendit he, To se quha frend or fa vald be. c 1425 Audelay XI Pains of Hell 5 in O.E. Misc. 210 Hou mychael and poule þay went in fere To se what payns in hel were þer. c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. i. 410 As tymber, hewe hit with an axe and sene If hit be not in thegge. 1561 Maitland Club Misc. III. 277 The superintendent beand in ye sayd kyrk..seand gyf ye kyrk wes repared conform to ye act of his visitacion. 1575 Gammer Gurton i. v. 51 Breake it, foole, with thy hand, and see and thou canst fynde it. 1582 Allen Martyrd. Campion (1908) 87 This Havard..went furth into the citie with another in his company to see if he could meet with M. Cottam. 1613 J. Tapp Pathw. Knowl. 8 And when you haue all added them, see what remaines besides the nynes, and drawing a short line [etc.]. 1676 T. Mace Musick's Monum. 59 [In making a lute] First bring your Back and Belly together, and see if they will fit. 1743 Pococke Descr. East I. ii. iii. 105 The people had come rudely to the boat when I was absent, and had said that they would see whether this stranger would dare come out another day. 1766 Earl of March in Jesse Selwyn & Contemp. (1843) I. 62, I am just going to ride out to see if air and exercise will get me a stomach. 1821 Scott Kenilw. iv, Follow yonder fellow, and see where he takes earth. 1835 Dickens Sk. Boz, Mr. J. Dounce, ‘Can you open me half-a-dozen more [oysters], my dear?’ inquired Mr. John Dounce. ‘I'll see what I can do for you, Sir’, replied the young lady in blue. a 1853 Robertson Serm. Ser. iv. iv. (1876) 46 He will look at the fact in every way to see if he cannot get it into a position where it shall be seen no longer. 1865 H. Kingsley Hillyars & B. ii, Cut away, old chap, and see who it is. |
b. absol. or with ellipsis of indirect question. Sometimes used as a formula for not giving a direct answer on the spot.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 14310 ‘And quar haf yee his bode laid?’ ‘Sir’, said mari, ‘cum forth and se’. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 773 As for this gentleman my sonne, I mind he shal be where I am till I see further. 1581 Earl Morton in Cal. Scott. Papers VI. 14, I was purposed to have banished my self againe and turned my backe upon Scotland while I had sene further. 1851 Hawthorne Ho. Sev. Gables xx, Ah, something terrible has happened! I must run and see! 1851 I. Spencer Let. 11 Jan. in U. Young Life I. Spencer (1933) iii. iii. 181 About going to France, we shall see. 1861 Two Cosmos I. 283 ‘But what ails you to tell him I am here now?’..She shut the door, looked inquiringly at him, and left him standing, with ‘I'll see’. 1898 G. B. Shaw Arms & Man iii. 62 We shall see. And you shall wait my pleasure. 1925 F. Scott Fitzgerald Great Gatsby vii. 137 What he really said was: ‘Yes... Yes... I'll see.’ 1959 R. Matthews tr. J. Steinmann's Saint Jerome i. xi. 49 He would tell his friend about it, and later they would see. |
c. To make sure by inspection (before taking action) that certain conditions exist. Cf. sense 8.
| c 1440 Alphabet of Tales 78 He þat giffis it [the benefice] suld se þat he þatt he gaff it to war able for to take it. 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §57 Se that they be soft on the fore-croppe, and upon the hucbone. 1821 Scott Kenilw. xxiii, He looked sharply around to see that there was nothing in sight which might give the lie to his words. |
7. † a. To keep in view; to watch over; chiefly in favourable sense, to protect, take care of, tend.
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1663 Laban bi-taȝte him, siðen to sen, His hirdenesse ðat it wel ben. a 1300 Cursor M. 16488 ‘Ha we noght þar-of to do’, coth þai, ‘þou sal þi-self it se’. c 1307 Song Exec. Sir S. Fraser in Pol. Songs (Camden) 216 Sire Edward of Carnarvan, Jhesu him save ant see! c 1374 Chaucer Troylus ii. 85 Quod Pandarus ma dame god yow see. 1426 Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 4824 And to Seyn Iohan I leve also, That he may han perseueraunce To sen me in my gret suffraunce. c 1440 York Myst. viii. 77 Luke þat þi semes be suttilly seyn. Ibid. xvii. 33 Sirs! god yowe saffe ande see. c 1460 Towneley Myst. ix. 127 Mahowne the saue and se, sir syryne! a 1535 Frere & Boy 64 in Ritson Anc. Pop. Poetry 37 Sone, he sayde, god the se. 1563 Child-Marriages 132 This deponent..went home againe to se his busines. 1607 Norden Surv. Dial. v. 230 If he be an inferior, he may be his owne Bayly, and see the managing and manuring of his owne reuenewes, and not to leaue it to the discretion and diligence of lither swaines. |
b. With adv. or phrase: To escort (a person) home, to the door, etc. to see (a person) off: to be present at (his) starting for a journey. to see (a person) (all) right: to ensure (his) well-being or safety; to see (a person) over, through: of a thing, to be sufficient for (his) needs; also with prep. over or through (a period of time or difficulty). Also, to see (a book) through the press.
| 1607 Shakes. Cor. iii. iii. 137 Go see him out at Gates,..Giue him deseru'd vexation. 1693 Congreve Old Bach. iv. xix, Læt. Oh! Won't you follow, and see him out of Doors, my Dear? Fond. I'll shut this door, to secure him from coming back. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 1 For your singular Favour, in seeing me Aboard-ship. 1770 C. Jenner Placid Man I. ii. v. 104 When he had seen her safe into her chair, he went home. 1775 Sheridan Duenna i. ii, But, hark ye, Ferdinand, did you leave your key with them? Don Ferd. Yes; the maid who saw me out, took it from the door. 1809 W. Irving Knickerb. ii. iv. (1820) 119 Escorted by a multitude of relatives and friends, who all went down, as the common phrase expresses it, ‘to see them off’. 1819 Keats Let. 16 Apr. (1958) II. 92 Do you..get groggy..so as to be obliged to be seen home with a Lantern. 1884 Rider Haggard Dawn xlii, ‘Where have you been to, Lady Florence?’ he said. ‘To see my brother off’, she answered. 1884 W. C. Smith Kildrostan 50 Do not trouble to bring back the boat; I'll see Miss Ina home. 1886 Miss L. Toulmin Smith Bk. Brome Pref. 1, I willingly undertook, at her request, to see it through the press. 1888 F. Warden Witch of Hills II. xviii. 104 We saw the ladies into the brougham. 1894 ‘Mark Twain’ in St. Nicholas Mar. 393/1 Thirty camel-loads of treasures was enough to see a dervish through, because they live very simple. 1899 Rider Haggard in Longm. Mag. Apr. 125, I opened the door to see out some friends. a 1914 ‘Saki’ Beasts & Super-Beasts (1914) 217 If you'll lend me three pounds that ought to see me through comfortably. 1959 Times 19 Mar. 5/5 He said he would see me all right if I said I saw the two police strike the boy. 1965 Listener 25 Nov. 865/1 Although Louis MacNeice was a fluent and sometimes facile poet, his sense of fact generally saw him through. a 1966 ‘M. na Gopaleen’ Best of Myles (1968) 87 To be saddled with the task of ‘seeing’ an inebriated friend ‘right’. 1966 M. Steen Looking Glass iii. 52 He..wrote me a cheque for twenty pounds—‘to see me over’. 1971 N.Z. Listener 22 Mar. 13/1 Tell yer, I'll see you right at a boardin' place until you get jacked up. 1974 S. B. Hough Fear Fortune, Father i. 15, I could remember Lawson saying to me, ‘I'll see you all right.’ 1976 M. Butterworth Remains to be Seen vi. 89, I stopped the milk till Monday... But if you want a couple of pints to see you over the weekend. |
8. To ensure by supervision or vigilance that something shall be done or not done. a. with clause as obj. Often with reference to action on the part of the subject: To take care, see to it (cf. 25 c) that one does so and so. (In this use rarely † with dative of pron. used refl.)
| a 1300 K. Horn (Camb. MS.) 452, & se he holde foreward. c 1400 Apol. Loll. (Camden) 41 And se hem religious, þat þei feyn not falsly pouert... And see þei þat þei oblesche no man to the maner of pouert, but þat God haþ callid þer to. c 1422 tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. xxxiv. 187 See that thou can lyue Of Lytill mette and Drynke. c 1449 Pecock Repr. ii. xvii. 253 Se ȝe that in ȝoure vndirnymyng ȝe bere ȝou discreetli. 1468 [see man n.1 4 f]. 1502 W. Atkynson tr. De Imitatione iii. viii. (1893) 202 Se, therfore,..that no strong fantasies of any mater trouble the. c 1530 H. Rhodes Bk. Nurture in Babees Bk. 67 See ye haue Voyders ready for to auoyd the Morsels that they doe leaue on their Trenchours. 1535 Lyndesay Satyre 52 And sie the burgessis spair not for expence, Bot speid thame heir, with Temporalitie. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 1 b, It is the propre office of a Byshop to see that the people be rightly instructed. 1575 Gammer Gurton ii. i. 77 Now, Hodge, see thou take heede And do as I thee byd. 1632 Holland Cyrupædia 197 See then quoth he, you order the matter so, and provide against that time. 1639 W. C. Italian Convert xxx. 222 Shee was never from about him, and saw that hee wanted nothing which the world could yeeld for the recovery of his health. 1685 Baxter Paraphr. N.T., Mark iv. 23 Let him that hath ears and understanding see that he hear God's word regardfully. 1741 Richardson Pamela III. 214 Only when your worthy Parents have perused them, see that I have every Line of them again. 1873 Black Pr. Thule xxi. 341 Mrs. Lavender would see that she was properly looked after. 1884 Manch. Exam. 17 May 4/7 It behoves us to see that we are not outstripped by our rivals abroad. 1886 Pearson in Law Rep. 32 Chanc. Div. 48 The landlord..is interested in seeing that the liquidators discharge their duty properly. |
b. with obj. a n. or pronoun, and pa. pple. or adj. (rarely infinitive) as complement.
| 1558 Q. Mary Will in J. M. Stone Mary I (1901) 515 That they to the uttermost of ther powers and wyttes, shall see this my present Testament & last will perform'd and executed. 1583 Sir C. Hatton in Kempe Losely MSS. (1836) 268 Weh I thought good to advertise you of, that in the meane whyle you myght see every thinge well ordered. 1586 A. Day Eng. Secretary i. (1625) 66 And if my opinion may at all prevaile with you should quickly call him home from hence, and see him more better to be provided for. 1607 Shakes. Cor. iv. vi. 47 Go see this Rumorer whipt. 1672 R. Montagu in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) I. 517, I think seeing an Ambassador's debts paid when he comes away belongs to your province. 1697 Dryden Virg. Past. ix. 29 O Tity'rus, tend my Herd, and see them fed. 1704 Milit. Dict. (ed. 2), Major of a Regiment..is to convey all Orders to the Regiment..to see it march in good order [etc.]. 1824 Scott St. Ronan's xxxviii, I will see her avenged on every one of them! 1899 in Law Times XCII. 92/2 We undertake to see you paid the said sum of {pstlg}526. |
c. Coupled by and with another verb: To be careful to (do something). colloq.
| a 1766 F. Sheridan Sidney Bidulph IV. 69 David..told me he'd see and get me another every jot as pretty. 1825 T. Hook Sayings Ser. ii. Passion & Princ. xi. III. 257 If you get your letters ready early in the day, I will see and get them franked. |
9. a. To view or regard as, to judge, deem. With complementary adj., good, fit, proper, or the like, the object being an infinitive phrase (less frequently a clause), which is sometimes suppressed by ellipsis or represented by it.
| a 1325 MS. Rawl. B. 520 b, Þat..suuche enquestene..be after þat te Iustises soez best to doinde to þe wille of þe reaume. Ibid. 31 b, To ben..ipubliste, in schirene, in Citees..ant in oþere sollempne studes, þare þe seost best forte spede. c 1375 Lay Folks Mass Bk. 393 (Royal MS.) Þo froytes of þo erthe make plenteuus, als þou sees best. 1558 Will in Berks, Bucks, & Oxon N. & Q. (1905) II. 48 W{supt} suche armes in money as myne executours shall thinke and see requysite in charitie to be gyven to the poore. 1581 G. Pettie tr. Guazzo's Civ. Conv. iii. (1586) 150 The father by his authoritie ought to distribute his fauoures as he seeth good, to one more, to another lesse. 1663 Butler Hudibras i. iii. 275 Others may doe as they see good. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. xii, To abide the dispensation that the Lord sees meet to send us. 1829 ― Anne of G. xxxiv, The Duke for once saw it necessary to alter his purpose of instant battle. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. I. v. i, The only thing one sees advisable is to bring up soldiers. 1860 Ruskin Unto this Last i. §24 Supposing the master of a manufactory saw it right..to place his own son in the position of an ordinary workman. |
† b. Passive, to be seen: (a) to seem, appear [= L. videri]; (b) ellipt. to seem good, approve itself. Obs.
| 1382 Wyclif Gen. xix. 14 And he was seen to hem as pleiynge to speke. c 1400 tr. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh. xiii. 55 With discrecion do he hit noght ouer latly ne ouer hastly, þat he be noght sen hastyf ne slowe. 1466 Dunfermline Reg. (Bannatyne) 356 To mak a mylne within my said grunde..giff it be sene spedfull till ws. 1473 Rental Bk. Cupar-Angus (1879) I. 178 Rychswa the myl to be fychit gif it be sein to ws profitabile fra the place it standis up til ane place of mair eysmentis and profitis. Ibid. 182 Anens the pairtyn of the town it is seyn to the Abbot and the Conuent for al pairtis that the town stand vnpairtyt as it standis and allegis tham of that condicion. 1484 in Exch. Rolls Scot. IX. 603 To prolong and continew takkis of thaim for the space of fyve yeris or within as salbe sene speidfull to thaim. 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Matt. xvii. 1–8 These thynges wer seene to the Apostles as to men newely waked from slepe. 1549 Bk. Comm. Prayer, Visit. Sick Prayer, Consider his contricion, accept his teares, aswage his payne as shalbe seen to thee moste expediente for hym. 1574 M. Stokes in G. Peacock Observ. Stat. Cambr. (1841) App. A. p. xxxvi, When the Father hathe arguyde att hys Plesure the Bachelars of Arte shall replye, as many as shall be seene to the Father. |
10. a. To know by observation (ocular and other), to witness; to meet with in the course of one's experience; to have personal knowledge of, to be a contemporary of and present at the scene of (an event); to be living at (a certain period of time). Also, to experience (a specific age in life): usu. in negative context. Phrases, to see life, see the world: see the ns. to have seen everything, it all: to have experienced all the possible events and situations of life (often used as an expression of resignation or boredom); to see the New (Old) Year in (out): see year 7.
Sometimes with mixture of sense 11, as in to have seen better days, to have been formerly better off or (of a thing) in better condition than now; to have seen one's day, one's best days, to be no longer in one's prime.
| Beowulf 2014 Ne seah ic..meduaream maran! c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 139 And teh folc to him to heren his wise word, and to sende his wunderliche liflode. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 1611 Vol vewe kinges me sucþ þat it wolde do. 1375 Barbour Bruce xvi. 179 In-till all the weir of Irland So hard ane fechting wes nocht seyne. 1412–20 Lydg. Troy Bk. i. 1133 He schal þe tyme se Þat he par-avnter schal mow þanked be. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon lxi. 213, I haue longe desyryd to se y⊇ day that I nowe do se. 1575 Gammer Gurton i. iv. 2, I may well cursse and ban This daie, that euer I saw it. c 1590 Sir T. More iv. v. 86 But we..Hauing seene better dayes, now know the lack Of glorie that once rearde eche high-fed back. 1593 Shakes. Lucr. 380 O had they in that darkesome prison died, Then had they seene the period of their ill. 1679 Dryden Limberham Prol. 1 True Wit has seen its best days long ago. 1686 tr. Chardin's Coronat. Solyman 35 One who had never seen the world. a 1700 Evelyn Diary 27 Jan. 1658, He declaim'd against the vanities of the world before he had seene any. 1712–13 Swift Jrnl. to Stella 16 Feb., I never saw such a continuance of rainy weather. 1759 Johnson Rasselas xxxix, They had seen nothing, for they had lived from early youth in that narrow spot. 1763 Brit. Mag. IV. 372, I, being elevated with liquor, could not pass by a night-house, always being fond of seeing life, as the term is. 1806 To have seen better days [see day n. 13 a]. 1821 Scott Kenilw. xxxvii, The wisest men whom the world has seen. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair lxi, I never saw his equal for pluck and daring. 1870 Morris Earthly Par., Lovers of Gudrun 40 Kiartan now had seen His eighteenth spring. 1876 Flor. Marryat Her Father's Name xxv, The truth is, the old housekeeper had seen her day, and was thankful for the prospect of any help in her duties. 1883 R. W. Dixon Mano i. viii. 21 And this I say Who have seen much that mighty love can do. 1899 H. James Awkward Age i. i. 3 He had..doubled the Cape of the years—he would never again see fifty-five. 1925 F. Scott Fitzgerald Great Gatsby i. 21 I've been everywhere and seen everything and done everything. 1930 W. S. Maugham Cakes & Ale v. 72 ‘But she's not as old as you are,’ I said... ‘She'll never see thirty again.’ 1941 F. Thompson Over to Candleford x. 144 Laura [wore] a green smock which had seen better days. 1957 ‘M. M. Kaye’ Shadow of Moon xiv. 216 ‘I escorted her out from England.’ ‘What!.. Now I have seen everything!’ 1959 N. Mailer Advts. for Myself (1961) 209 Pot gave me a sense of something new about the time I was convinced I had seen it all. 1973 G. Greene Honorary Consul ii. iii. 80 She's not twenty, and, you know, I won't see sixty again. 1973 ‘E. McBain’ Hail to Chief i. 6 Men..with..eyes that had seen it all, seen it all: Monoghan and Monroe from Homicide. 1977 G. Tindall Fields Beneath vi. 90 The workhouse itself was a ‘handsome brick edifice’ that had seen better days. 1978 T. Willis Buckingham Palace Connection viii. 161 ‘A boat race,’ said Tremayne... ‘Now I've seen everything!’ said Story. |
b. With clause, obj. and inf., or obj. and complement: To observe, find. Also (chiefly in the future tense), to find, come to know in the course of events.
| 1390 Gower Conf. I. 3 For now upon this tyde Men se the world on every syde In sondry wyse so diversed, That [etc.]. c 1425 Cast. Persev. 3227 in Macro Plays 173 Þer schal we sone se what þat his Iugement schal be. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems iv. 45, I see that makaris amang the laif Playis heir ther pegeant, syne gois to graif. ? 1533 Heywood Pard. & Frere 611 Thou shall se What I shall do by and by. 1536 Cranmer in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. iii. III. 27, I had dayly prayed unto God that I might se the power of Rome destroyed, and that I thanked God that I had now sene it in this Realme. 1551 T. Wilson Logic (1563) 6 b, We see heate in other thynges to bee seperated from the subiecte. Whereupon we Iudge that the heate is an other thyng then the very substaunce of Fire. 1611 Bible Transl. Pref. ¶2 He gaue foorth, that hee had not seene any profit to come by any Synode. 1764 Goldsm. Trav. 397 Have we not seen, round Britain's peopled shore, Her useful sons exchanged for useless ore? 1821 Scott Pirate xxvi, We shall soon see how the old spell-mutterer will receive us. 1825 T. Hook Sayings Ser. ii. Passion & Princ. v. III. 6 At length he came to a resolution..to ‘wait and see’ what would turn up for the best. 1847 Tennyson Princess iii. 244 There is nothing upon earth More miserable than she that has a son And sees him err. 1856 Froude Hist. Eng. (1858) I. iii. 244 The astonished church authorities saw bill after bill hurried up before the Lords. |
| absol. 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 102 As men seis, naturaly ilke wilde beste and tame defend the self. 1823 Coleridge Table-t. 28 Apr., ‘The Spaniards are absolutely conquered; it is absurd to talk of their chance of resisting’.—‘Very well, my lord’, I said, ‘we shall see’. 1865 Kingsley Herew. xxi, You will see some day. Now, I will tell you but one word. |
c. In pass. Formerly often impersonal, it is seen, it is observed, experience shows that.
| 1390 Gower Conf. I. 15 But ofte is sen that mochel slowthe, When men ben drunken of the cuppe, Doth mochel harm. c 1400 Master of Game ii. 32 (MS. Digby 182) The other hertes..renne vponn hym and sle hym. And þat is see and sothe. 1451 J. Capgrave Life St. August. iii. 6 And as often is sene þei make sumtyme debate betwyx wif and husband. 1545 in I. S. Leadam Sel. Cases Crt. Requests (1898) 86 Whiche..was never vsid nor senne in his tyme to be one. 1576 Gascoigne Compl. Philom. ad fin., The sonnes of such rash sinning sires, Are seldome sene to runne a ruly race. 1580 Frampton Dial. Yron & Steele 168 For it is seene that a cuppe of colde water beeing dronke, that commeth foorth of a well..hurteth. 1607 Norden Surv. Dial. i. 13 There grew such emulation among Farmers, that one would outbid another, (which in the beginning was little seene). 1638 Junius Paint. Ancients 38 So is it seldome or never seene that the workes of one man should fit our humour in all things. |
d. Willingness (or unwillingness) to see an event is often predicated as equivalent to willingness (or unwillingness) that the event should occur. Hence the vb. sometimes assumes the sense: To allow (something to happen).
So in colloquial expressions of emphatic refusal: I'll see him hanged (damned, further, etc.) first.
| c 1400 Cato's Morals 92 in Cursor M. 1670 Qua-sim-euer þou be þat wille þi-self safe se..loke..þou kepe þi corage fra ille tecchis rife. c 1400 Gamelyn 146 Be thou nought wroth, For to seen thee have harm it were me right loth. c 1420 Avow. Arth. xxxvii, But I nolde, for no lordeshippe, se þi life lorne. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon ix. 228 Reynawde is my cosin, & I oughte not to see his dethe nor his dommage. 1554 in Warden Burgh Laws Dundee, etc. (1872) 333 Ze salbe ane obedient and trew servand to zour maister. And sall nether heir nor sie his skaith. 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. ii. i. 301 Vpon sonday is the wedding day. Kate. Ile see thee hang'd on sonday first. 1631 Heywood 2nd Pt. Fair Maid West i. B 2 b, Ile see you damn'd as deep as the black father of your generation the devill first. 1709 Felton Diss. Classics (1718) 50, I am ambitious, my Lord, to see You Master of a fine Pen. 1736 Ainsworth Lat. Dict. iv. s.v. Amata, She hanged herself that she might not see æneas her son in law. 1756–7 tr. Keysler's Trav. (1760) I. 459 To Ansaldo Grimaldo, who with regret sees himself alone. 1779 Mirror No. 44 ¶1 The old man hoped..to join their hands, and see them happy before he died. 1797 [see first adv. 2 b]. 1831 Scott Ct. Rob. xvi, It is with no small confidence that I desire to see us set forth in quest of my beloved Countess. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. v. I. 598 He would see Bristol burned down, he said,..rather than that it should be occupied by traitors. 1867 A. J. Wilson Vashti xviii, You ought to be willing to see me do anything honest, that will secure my dependent brother and sister from want. |
e. transf. Of things, places, etc.: To be contemporary with and in the neighbourhood of, to be the scene of (an event); to be in existence during (a period of time). Also of a period of time: To be marked by (an event).
| 1739 C. Wesley Hymn, Hail the Day that sees Him rise, Ravish'd from our wishful Eyes. 1839 Digby Mores Cath. ix. i. (1847) III. 13/1 These are the funeral and Tartarean years of which St. Augustin speaks, like that when Rome saw five consuls. 1849–50 Alison Hist. Europe VIII. l. §62. 187 Eighteen rivers have seen their navigation improved. 1895 Workman Alger. Mem. 77 A bright cold morning saw us in the saddle at 6.15. 1907 A. Lang Hist. Scot. IV. 408 In 1906 Cambridge saw three or four of her most learned men compete for the Greek chair. |
11. To experience in one's own person; to undergo, enjoy, or suffer. Now rare. (For to have seen service, see service n.)
The use is app. native, but coincides with a Biblical Hebraism: see, e.g. Luke ii. 26 (in all Eng. versions).
| Beowulf 1180 Þonne ðu forð scyle metodsceaft seon! a 900 Cynewulf Crist 1611 Ðær sceolan þeofas..ond mansworan morþorlean seon. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 6236 We fiȝteþ & beþ ouercome & no maistrie we ne seþ. a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. xxxiv. 96 Crist leve us alle with that wymman that joie al forte sene. a 1300 K. Horn (Camb. MS.) 650 Heo ferde in to bure To sen auenture. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) IV. 61 He schavede nevere his heed, noþer his berde,..he wolde have no worschepe, er he seigh wreche of Hanybal. 1470–85 Malory Arthur iv. xviii. 141 They ansuerd hym that they cam from kynge Arthurs courte for to see auentures. c 1530 G. Cromwell in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. iii. I. 339 His Lorchyp..mad us good schere; and lett us see schuch game and plesure as I never saye in my lyfe. 1611 Bible Tobit iv. 4 Remember, my sonne, that shee saw many dangers for thee. 1738 Wesley Psalms xciii. ii, How sure establish'd is thy Throne; Which shall no Change or Period see. 1799 Wordsw. Fountain 42 They see A happy youth, and their old age Is beautiful and free. 1894 Sir J. D. Astley Fifty Yrs. Life II. 7, He [a horse] was a very clever hunter and I saw a lot of sport on him. |
12. a. To be in the company of, to meet and converse with (a person). to go or come to (or and) see: to visit, call upon. to see a man (about a dog) and varr. (orig. U.S.), a joc. form of excuse or explanation used to avoid giving the real reason for one's absence or departure; spec. (euphem.) to obtain an alcoholic drink; to go to the lavatory. to see much or little of (a person): to be often or seldom in his society.
| a 1300 K. Horn (Camb. MS.) 1356 ‘Childre’, he sede, ‘hu habbe ȝe fare? Þat ihc ȝou seȝ hit is ful ȝare.’ c 1320 R. Brunne Medit. 232 Y go and come to ȝow aȝen, Forsoþe eftsones y wyl ȝow sen. 1470–85 Malory Arthur xi. iii. 575 Thenne she said my lord sir launcelot I biseche yow see me as soone as ye may. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VIII 111 He made muche suite to come into Englande, to see and speake with the kyng. 1609 Carleton in Crt. & Times Jas. I (1848) I. 95 You will hear of Sir Thomas Smith by your servant, who went the last night to see him. 1662 J. Davies tr. Mandelslo's Trav. 280 There came along with them the President's Lady, whom he had not seen in seven years before. 1670 Lady Mary Wortley in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 21, I have been twice to see my lady Northampton but could not find her at hom. 1710 Swift Jrnl. to Stella 18 Sept., When you see Joe, tell him [etc.]. 1762 G. Colman Musical Lady i. 6 Come! I have been in search of you this hour—and thought I should have been obliged to go back again without seeing you. 1800 Geo. IV in Paget Papers (1896) I. 181 In short, the more I see of her and the more I probe her Heart the more perfect I see her. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair xl, Mrs. Bute and Lady Southdown never could meet without battles, and gradually ceased seeing each other. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. v. I. 531 He saw little of any Whigs. 1867 Ball Players' Chron. 12 Sept. 3/1 The rest of our nine having gone to see a man there was nobody to take the bat. 1872 G. W. Dasent Three to One III. 241 Have either of you seen anything of Mr. Fortescue in town? 1882 Mozley Remin. (ed. 2) I. 57, I was seeing very little of Blanco White. 1890 Barrère & Leland Dict. Slang II. 216 To see a man (American), to go and have a drink at the bar. 1927 Amer. Speech III. 221 See a man about a dog, to go out and buy liquor. 1931 T. R. G. Lyell Slang, Phrase & Idiom 670 Excuse me a moment,—I shan't be long; I just have to go and see a man about something! 1945 Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch 25 Oct. 14/5 Greet the home⁓coming hero with a load of this and he will immediately find that he has to go somewhere else and see a man about a dog. 1969 Private Eye 28 Mar. 14, I got to see a man about a dog! 1977 A. C. H. Smith Jericho Gun v. 63 I've got to dash. Must see a man about a horse. |
b. To obtain an interview with, call upon, or meet in order to consult or confer with, give directions to or receive directions from. In U.S. colloq. ‘To interview or consult in order to influence, esp. improperly, as in order to bribe’ (Webster 1911).
| 1782 F. Burney Cecilia i. x, She therefore went..to enquire among the servants if Mrs. Hill was yet come? Yes, they answered, and had seen their master, and was gone. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair xliv, She promised to see her man of business immediately. 1867 Ball Players' Chron. 12 Dec. 4/2 This, that or the other ‘professional’ is ‘seen’—that is the professional term for the act of bribery—and lo and behold! the second game between the rival clubs is marked by a signal defeat. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 11, I want him to come and see a physician about the illness of which he spoke to me. 1888 Bryce Amer. Commw. xv. I. 213 The class of professional ‘lobbyists’, men, and women too, who make it their business to ‘see’ members and procure..the passing of bills..which involve gain to their promoters. Ibid. c. III. 411 The president of a great rail⁓road..must have adroit agents at the State capitals..ready to ‘see’ leading legislators [etc.]. 1891 ‘J. S. Winter’ Lumley xiii, I have to see a lady in Queen's Gate about a sitting. 1908 R. Bagot A. Cuthbert xii. 140 Kindly send a waiter to find my servant. I must see him directly. |
c. To receive as a visitor; to admit to an interview. Phrases, to see company; † to see masks = to hold a masquerade.
| c 1500 Melusine xxxvii. (1894) 298 For he knew wel that Raymondyn his brother wold neuer loue hym nor see hym. 1710 Swift Jrnl. to Stella 1 Nov., I..went..to see Mr. Harley, who could not see me for much company; but sent me his excuse, and desired I would dine with him on Friday. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 429 ¶8 Lady Lydia cannot see Company. 1744 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. to Montagu (1893) II. 125 The vice-legate has a court of priests, and sees little other company. 1761 Colman Jealous Wife i. (1775) 13 Assert your Right boldly, Man!..see what Company you like; go out when you please; return when you please. 1770 Foote Lame Lover ii. 29 Serjeant. How often have I told you, that I will see none of these sort of folks but at chambers? 1779 Mirror No. 25 She replied, that Mrs. Dimmity, my Lady ―'s gentlewoman, told her all the maids at ― had tea, and saw company of an afternoon. 1782 F. Burney Cecilia vi. vii, When Mr. Harrel saw masks in Portman-square, my curiosity to behold a lady so adored, and so cruel, led me thither. 1802 M. Edgeworth Moral T., Forester (1806) I. 2 My master is just going to dinner, and can't see anybody now. 1804 Bp. Pretyman in G. Rose's Diaries (1860) II. 94 Mr. Pitt saw Lord Harrowby..for an hour and a half. 1883 Daily News 31 Oct. 5/3 Lord Derby will not be able to see the Transvaal delegates..during the present week. 1885 Encycl. Brit. XIX. 751/1 It was easy [for prisoners] to get drink and tobacco, and see friends from outside. |
| euphemistically 1749 Fielding Tom Jones xvi. ii, He felt the same compunction with a bawd, when some poor innocent..falls into fits at the first proposal of what is called seeing company. |
† d. absol. to see (together): to meet one another, have an interview. Obs.
| a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VIII 200 After this day, the kyng and she neuer saw together. 1578 Whetstone Promos & Cass. ii. iv. ii, Wees see at the sport. 1611 Shakes. Cymb. i. i. 124 When shall we see againe? 1613 ― Hen. VIII, i. i. 2. How haue ye done Since last we saw in France? |
e. see you: colloq. formula of farewell, often in weakened sense without reference to an anticipated meeting (in full I'll see you). Also with advbs. and other extensions, as around, soon, etc. Also, (I'll) be seeing you. Cf. F. au revoir, G. auf Wiedersehen.
| 1891 S. Weyman New Rector II. i. 25 He waved an awkward farewell to Jack, muttered ‘See you soon!’ and went off. 1906 ‘O. Henry’ in McClure's Mag. Aug. 392/1 Now lift your hat and come away, while you receive Lou's cheery ‘See you again’. 1932 J. W. Harris Days of Endeavour xiii. 228 The boys..follow it with no more than a cheery, ‘So-long, old son; see you in Liverpool!’ 1937 D. & H. Teilhet Feather Cloak Murders ii. 33 He waved cheerfully to the Baron, said, ‘I'll be seeing you.’ 1945, etc. [see hooray int.]. 1951 M. Kennedy Lucy Carmichael v. i. 239 ‘Well..be seeing you.’.. ‘Be seeing you,’ agreed Owen without enthusiasm. 1959 I. Fleming Goldfinger xix. 264 ‘See you around.’ He grinned at Bond and moved off down the room. 1962 L. Deighton Ipcress File xi. 71 Thanks, chief. See you. 1970 J. Porter Rather Common Sort of Crime ii. 24 Well, ta ever so! Be seeing you! 1975 I. McEwan First Love, Last Rites 96 ‘See you tomorrow, then.’.. ‘Yes, tomorrow.’ 1978 J. Irving World according to Garp xiii. 253 ‘See ya,’ she called, and drove off... ‘See ya,’ Garp mumbled after her. |
13. Gaming. a. To meet (a bet), or meet the bet of (another player), by staking an equal sum. Now chiefly in Poker (see also quot. 1885). † b. In Brag: see quot. 1804.
| 1599 Minsheu Sp. Dial. iii. 16 M. Giue me fower cards, Ile see as much as he sets. R. See heere my rest, let euery one be in. M. I am come to passe again... O. I set my rest. M. Ile see it. 1804 New Pocket Hoyle, Brag, Or if either party lay down a stake, saying Let me see you, or I'll see it, in which case both the hands are to be shown, and the strongest wins. 1880 [see bet n. 1 b]. 1885 H. Jones in Encycl. Brit. XIX. 283/1 [Poker.] The next in rotation to say must either (1) go out of the game; or (2) see the raise, i.e., put up an equal amount; or (3) go better, i.e., increase the raise. Ibid., The last to stake, who makes his raise equal to that of each of the others, sees them, i.e. the player to the left has to show his hand... The next..then similarly shows his hand..; and so on all round; the holder of the best hand takes the pool. |
| transf. 1890 Sat. Rev. 15 Feb. 183/2 A rather discreditable attempt to ‘see’ other Pretenders and ‘go one better’ in patriotism. 1890 Spectator 20 Sept., He ‘saw’ the enemy's veteran, in fact, and went 599 better. |
14. Mil. To command or dominate (a position). Said of a fortification, artillery, etc. [So F. voir.]
| 1829 Napier Penins. War v. ii. (Rtldg.) I. 234 The guns..saw it [a convent] in reverse. 1834–47 J. S. Macaulay Field Fortif. (1851) 43 In proportion as the height of the parapet is increased the danger of being seen by enfilade, slant, or reverse fire, diminishes. Ibid. 142 An interior intrenchment should therefore be formed; it will generally be the church and cemetery, or the strongest house in the village, if..placed so as to see the principal streets. |
15. let see. a. to let (a person) see: to show, bring to the sight or knowledge of. With n. or clause as obj. Formerly often with ellipsis of personal obj. † to let see.
| c 1320 Sir Tristr. 501 Houndes on hyde he diȝtes, Alle he lete hem se. Ibid. 554 Who better can, lat se. 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 18, & Ethelbert in the felde his fader lete he se, How Dardan for his lance doun to the erth went, & smote his hede of, his fader to present. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xvii. 9 ‘Late se þi lettres’ quod I ‘we miȝte þe lawe knowe’. c 1400 Laud Troy Bk. 2865 Lete se now, what ȝe say? 14.. W. Paris Cristine 152 (Horstm.) Sire, make theme hole! late se, cane ye? c 1430 Hymns Virg. (1867) 58 How many foolde Hast þou brouȝt richesse? now late se. c 1450 Merlin xx. 357 ‘Now let se’, quod Merlin, ‘what ye will do, for now is ther oon lesse’. c 1485 Digby Myst., Mary Magd. 1738 Lett se whatt I xall have, Or elles I woll nat wend. 1535 Coverdale 2 Kings xviii. 23, I will geue y⊇ two thousande horses, let se yf thou be able to man them. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. Prol. I. 10 To lat sie quhan danger is, thay kendle bleises in tour heidis. 1601 Queen Elizabeth Let. to Mountjoy 12 Jan. in Moryson's Itin. (1617) ii. 197 Wee could not forbeare to let you see, how sensible we are of this your merit. 1725 P. Walker Life Peden in Biogr. Presbyt. (1827) I. 79 The Lord has letten me see the Frenches marching..thorow..the Land. 1752 Foote Taste ii. (1781) 25 Gentlemen, here is a Jewel. All. Ay, ay, let's see. |
† b. The imperative let see was sometimes used with indirect question (= ‘let us see if’); also absol. prefixed to a request (= ‘come’, ‘go to’); also to a question asked in soliloquy. Obs.
| c 1470 Henry Wallace i. 442 ‘Uncle’, he said, ‘I will no langar bide; Thir Southland hors latt se gif I can ride’. 1513 Douglas æneis xii. xi. 49 Quhat sall I do, lat se; quhar sall I now? [L. nam quid ago]. 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. cxxvii. [cxxiii.] 359 That is trouthe, quod the duke, let se, name a wyfe for him. Ibid. clxvii. [clxiii.] 464 Well, syrs, quod the bretons, lette se laye forthe the money. |
c. let me see, let us see: indicating that the speaker is trying to recall something to memory, or finds it necessary to reflect before answering a question.
| c 1520 Skelton Magnyf. 595 Abyde—lette me se—take better hede—Cockes harte! it is Cloked Colusyon! 1533 J. Heywood Merry Play Johan (1909) A ij, But abyde a whyle, yet let me se Where the dyuell hath our gyssypry begon. 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, iii. vii. 168 It is now two a Clock: but let me see, by ten Wee shall haue each a hundred English men. 1599 Nashe Lenten Stuffe 42 Let me see, hath any bodie in Yarmouth heard of Leander and Hero? 1693 Congreve Old Bach. iv. vi, A Prayer-Book? Ay, this is the Devil's Pater-noster. Hold let me see; The Innocent Adultery. 1741 Richardson Pamela IV. 101 Let me see, then, can I give you the brief History of this Comedy? 1761 Foote Liar i. Wks. 1799 I. 282 Where do we open?..Let us see—one o'clock—it is a fine day: the Mall will be crouded. 1921 G. B. Shaw Back to Methuselah ii. 83 That would be—let me see—five times three hundred and sixty-five is—um. |
16. Special uses of the gerundial infinitive. a. Formerly often appended, with the sense ‘in visible aspect’, to various predicates, esp. adjs. descriptive of appearance, as fair, foul, terrible, etc. Three varieties of this use have been current: † (a) (fair, etc.) on to see. (The only form recorded from OE. times: cf. 21). (b) (fair, etc.) to see. (The surviving use, now only poet.; common from the 14th c.) † (c) (fair, etc.) to see to (rarely unto). (Occurs from the 16th to the 18th c.)
| (a) c 893 K. ælfred Oros. i. iii, Ða syndon swyþe fæᵹere..on to seonne. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 163 Hire handcloðes, and hire bord cloðes [ben] makede wite, and lustliche on to siene. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2659 So faiȝer he was on to sen. a 1300 Cursor M. 7446 Gret he [Goliath] was wit-all, and hei, And semed sathan on to sei. c 1369 Chaucer Dethe Blaunche 1177 That swete wyght That is so semely on to see. 1430–40 Lydg. Bochas i. xiv. (1494) d viij b, Vpon the mounteyne callyd auentyne..There is a wode..Right fresshe of sight and goodly on to se. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems lxxxvii. 36 Moir semely na is the sapheir one to seyne. |
| (b) a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. xxv. 71 Jhesu, al that is fayr to se..me Graunte for the love of the. 1340 Ayenb. 150 Þe þridde him makeþ briȝte to zyenne and uol of wytte. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 1700 A geant ys maked briggeward þat symeþ þe fend to see. c 1400 Sowdone Bab. 39 With many a Baron & Kniȝtis ful boold, That roialle were and semly to sene. 1437 Libel Eng. Policy in Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 179 And wee to martis of Braban charged bene Wyth Englyssh clothe, fulle gode and feyre to seyne. c 1500 Flower & Leaf 157 It was a noble sight to sene. 1503 Dunbar Thistle & Rose 88 The Lyone..most fair to sene. 1563 Sackville Induct. Mirr. Mag. ii, The soyle that earst so seemely was to seen. 1607 R. C[arew] tr. Estienne's World of Wonders 236 More gay to seene Then some Atturney's clarke, or George a Greene. 1833 Tennyson Sisters i, O the Earl was fair to see! |
| (c) 1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. 296 A cypres tree goodly to see to, but in deede unfruitefull. 1552 Elyot's Dict., Anagyris, an herbe or shrub verie pleasant to see to. a 1586 Sidney Arcadia iii. (Sommer) 268 In one place lay disinherited heades, dispossessed of their naturall seignories: in an other, whole bodies to see to, but that their harts wont to be bound all ouer so close, were nowe with deadly violence opened. 1601 Holland Pliny xi. xviii. I. 320 There is a kind of rusticall and wild Bee: and such are more rough and hideous to see to. 1610 ― Camden's Brit. i. 86 Now was the State everie where in a most wofull and pitious plight to see unto. 1634 Milton Comus 620 A certain Shepherd Lad Of small regard to see to, yet well skill'd In every vertuous plant. 1671 H. M. tr. Erasm. Colloq. 144 The ceremonies being indeed very goodly to see to. 1737 Whiston Josephus, Antiq. xviii. ix. §4 He was a little man to see to. |
b. As predicate (= the more usual ‘to be seen’). † (a) Visible, evident. Obs. rare. (b) Remaining to be seen.
| 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 271 For it is to se that the provour has begunnyn his clame ferr ynouche quhen [etc.]. 1577 Kendall Flowers of Epigr. 39 Once woodden Challices there were, Then golden priests were euery where: Now golden chalices there be, And woodden priestes eache where to see. 1818 Shelley Lett. Pr. Wks. (1888) II. 231 But Rome and Naples—even Florence, are yet to see. 1846 Browning Soul's Trag. 1 Shame Fall presently on who deserves it most! Which is to see. |
II. Phraseological combinations.
* intransitive uses with prepositions.
17. see about ―. To attend to; to take steps with reference to; also, to take into consideration, see what can be done with regard to. I'll see about it: often used colloq. to evade giving an immediate decision.
| 1839 Dickens Let. Feb. (1965) I. 510 Will you dine with us at 5 — and see about a box without loss of time? 1848 Bartlett Dict. Amer., See about, to attend to; to consider. 1858 Hawthorne Fr. & It. Note-bks. (1871) I. 48, J― and I then went to the railway station to see about our luggage. 1869 ‘Wat Bradwood’ The O.V.H. xxxiv, Yes—I don't know—perhaps I'll go with you. We'll see about it. |
18. see after ―. To ascertain the condition of; to attend to the wants or safety of; also, to take means to obtain.
| 1727 [E. Dorrington] Philip Quarll (1816) 28, I feared that..another accident had befallen him.., so I went to see after him. 1775 S. J. Pratt Liberal Opin. liv. (1783) II. 142, I shan't be able to answer it to my conscience if I don't see after it. 1782 F. Burney Cecilia ii. iii, Pretty dove,..be of good heart! sha'n't be meddled with; come to see after you. 1872 H. Kingsley Hornby Mills etc. II. 46 Here Tom, Tom, see after the luggage. |
19. see for ―. a. To look for, try to find. Now rare or Obs. Also † see out for (obs.).
| 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. I. 558 And mony saikles ȝit sall suffer deid, Without richt sone ȝe se for sum remeid. 1670 Narborough Jrnl. in Acc. Sev. Late Voy. i. (1694) 32 My Lieutenant went up the River in the Boat nine or ten miles to see for People that way. 1719 De Foe Crusoe i. (Globe) 203, I..went to the West End..of the Island, almost every Day, to see for Canoes, but none appear'd. 1775 S. J. Pratt Liberal Opin. l. (1783) II. 120 Adding, that, against my next excursion she would see out amongst her young friends for a more suitable companion. 1778 F. Burney Evelina lxxvi, [She] begged me to see for some books she had left in the parlour. 1789 C. Smith Ethelinde (1814) IV. 84 Montgomery..went down himself to see for a coach. 1802 M. Edgeworth Moral T. I. viii. 55, I was just coming to see for you. 1812 J. Groom in Examiner 31 Aug. 552/1 He searched the..lodging-houses.., to see for suspicious persons. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair lxiv, Little Bob Suckling, who..would walk a mile in the rain to see for her carriage in the line at Gaunt House. |
† b. To provide for, act for the benefit of. Obs.
| 1548 Udall etc. Erasm. Par. Matt. i. 19 He began to cast in his mynde, by what meanes he myght bothe see for the good name, & also the lyfe of his wyfe. |
20. see into ―. To perceive (by physical or mental sight) what is below the surface of.
| 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, iii. i. 42 Well hath your Highnesse seene into this Duke. 1615 Sir J. Throckmorton in Court & Times Jas. I (1848) I. 382 Then we shall undoubtedly be able to see into the bottom of this and their other wicked practices. 1798 Wordsw. Poems Imag. xxvi. Tintern Abb. 49 While with an eye made quiet by the power Of harmony,..We see into the life of things. 1824 L. M. Hawkins Annaline I. 295 He could see no farther into the affair than before. 1863 Kingsley in Lett. etc. (1877) II. 179 We must send up one of our F.G.S.'s to see into the matter. |
† 21. see on, upon ―. To look on, look at. (Cf. sense 5.) Obs.
| Beowulf 2863 Seah on unleofe. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2664 So was hem lef on him to sen. a 1300 Cursor M. 12343 Bot fra þe leons on him sau Wel þai can þair lauerd knau. a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. v. 26 That syht upon that semly, to blis he is broht. c 1330 Spec. Gy de Warw. 389 Hit greueþ euere mannes eiȝe, Inwardliche on hire [the sun] to se For hire grete clerte. c 1400 Rom. Rose 3597 Ye not wolde upon him see. 1513 Douglas æneis xiii. viii. 62 At the first blenk astonyst half wolx he, And musyng hovirris styll on hir to se. |
22. see over ―. (See also sense 2 and over prep.). † To look over, peruse (a book) (obs.); to have a comprehensive view of. Now chiefly, to go over and inspect (a building).
| 1490 Caxton Eneydos 1 To my hande came a lytyl booke..whiche booke I sawe ouer and redde therin. 1513 Douglas æneis v. Prol. 5 The clerk reiosis his buikis our to seyne. 1765 J. Ingersoll Lett. relat. Stamp-Act (1766) 34 There must be some one Eye to see over, and some one Hand to guide and direct, the Whole of it's Defence and Protection. 1793 J. Woodforde Diary 23 June (1929) IV. 36 We took a walk to Weston House and saw it all over. 1830 Moore in Mem. (1854) VI. 108 Took Miss Macdonald to see over new Athenæum. c 1869 Taylor & Dubourg in M. R. Booth Eng. Plays of 19th Cent. (1973) III. 245 Mr. Secker's card for a friend of his to see over the ruins. 1909 Beerbohm Yet Again (ed. 5) 3 If I were ‘seeing over’ a house. 1920 ‘O. Douglas’ Penny Plain v. 62, I was going to ask if I might see over the house. 1977 ‘M. Yorke’ Cost of Silence i. 9 The house..was..up for sale... People saw over it and were dashed by the need to replumb and repair. |
23. see round ―. To have views beyond, to perceive the limitations of. rare.
| 1879 M. Pattison Milton 83 Milton, though he had come to see round Presbyterianism, had not, in 1644, shaken off all dogmatic profession. |
24. see through ―. a. lit. To see objects on the other side of (an aperture, or something transparent). Hence fig. to penetrate (a disguise, fallacious appearance), to detect (an imposture), to perceive the real character or aims of (a person).
| 1400 Love God 95 in 26 Pol. Poems 4 God seeth thurgh euery bore. Ibid. 103 God seeth thurgh eche mysse. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VIII (1550) 187 b, His graces sight was so quicke and penetrable, that he saw him, ye and saw through him, both within and without. 1599 B. Jonson Cynthia's Rev. v. ii, He is a mere peece of glasse, I see through him, by this time. c 1610 Women Saints 160 There was not to be seene on her riche garments,..so thinne as that you might see throughe. 1623 Cockeram ii, To be Seene thorow. Translucent, Transparent. 1679 J. Goodman Penit. Pard. ii. ii. (1713) 198 Alexander the great..had the luck or the sagacity to see through and despise the empty pageantry and shew. 1719 H. Barham in Phil. Trans. XXX. 1036 When held against the Light, they [the silkworms] might be seen through as you may an Egg. 1751 C. Labelye Westm. Bridge 93 The Board seeing thro' all this, enforced the Directions I had given. 1784 Burns Ep. to J. Rankine ii, And then their failings, flaws, an' wants, Are a' seen thro'. 1863 Cowden Clarke Shaks. Char. xvi. 394 He saw through their insufficiency. 1885 Manch. Exam. 6 Nov. 5/3 The object of the Commission was seen through at a glance. |
† b. To have a clear notion of. Obs.
| 1729 Butler Serm. Pref., Wks. 1874 II. 7 Any one may..know whether he understands and sees through what he is about. |
c. colloq. To ‘get through’ (a meal).
| 1863 W. C. Baldwin Afr. Hunting ix. 440, I need hardly say I had a bilious headache all the following day, as I was ravenously hungry, and saw through most of it [a meal of many dishes]. |
25. see to (or † unto) ―. † a. To be solicitous about. Obs.
| 1389 Eng. Gilds (1870) 51 Also afterward, men seende to þe deuocioun don in holy chirche,..askynd [read askyd] þe fraternite..to mayntene..þe forseyd ymage. |
b. To attend to, do what is needful for; to provide for the wants of; to charge oneself with (a duty, a business).
| a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 754* (Dubl. MS.) Þan says he to hys seruand to see to þis capyll. 1406 E.E. Wills (1882) 13 Yef outgh come to Thomas Roos, than y pray Iohan Wodcok to se to my son, that he be nat lost. 1470–85 Malory Arthur xix. vi. 781 That they were layde within draughtes by her chamber vpon beddes and pylowes that she her self myght see to them that they wanted no thynge. 1529 Wolsey in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. II. 8 Alas M{supr}. Secretary, ye with other my lordys shewyd me that I shuld otherwyse be furnyshyd, and seyn unto. 1535 Coverdale Jer. xl. 4, I will se to the, and prouyde for the. 1570–6 Lambarde Peramb. Kent 283 If the matter were well and in season seene vnto, there was no doubte [etc.]. 1642 C. Vernon Consid. Exch. 39 The Chiefe Vsher..seeth to all places of the Court, that all Doores, Chests, Records and things be in safety from fire, water, or other spoile. 1844 Alb. Smith Mr. Ledbury vii, I leave everything to you, and thank you into the bargain for seeing to it. 1861 F. Nightingale Nursing (ed. 2) 41 If a patient has to see, not only to his own but also to his nurse's punctuality. 1884 W. C. Smith Kildrostan 73 What is there to arrange with her? O yes! About her shootings—I will see to that. |
c. To take special care about (a matter.) Chiefly, to see to it, to make sure that (something is done).
| 1474 Caxton Chesse iii. iii. (1883) 103 Also they ought to see well to that they be of one Acorde in good. 1481 ― Reynard xii. (Arb.) 27 Here is the theef the wulf, see wel to that he escape vs not. 1865 Ruskin Sesame ii. §89 See to it that your train is of vassals whom you serve and feed, not merely of slaves who serve and feed you. 1874 Blackie Self-Cult. 43 What a student should specially see to..is not to carry the breath of books with him wherever he goes. 1891 Morris Poems by the Way (1896) 69 Lay me aboard the bastard's ship, And see to it lest your grapnels slip! |
† d. To respect, look up to. Obs. rare.
| 1579 Tomson Calvin's Serm. Tim. 222/2 The ministers of the word must marke why this office is given them,..it is not because a few should be sene vnto, and that they should speake, and others hold their peace. |
† e. In physical sense: To look towards. Obs.
| 1669 Sturmy Mariner's Mag. ii. xiii. 80 The eye maketh (seeing now to the lower, and then again to the upper end of the Cross) greater motion in looking up and down. |
** transitive uses with adverbs.
26. see away. To spend (money) in seeing. nonce-use.
| 1613 Shakes. Hen. VIII, Prol. 12 Those that come to see Onely a show or two..may see away their shilling Richly in two short houres. |
27. see off. a. To put to flight, chase off (esp. of a dog). Also trans. and fig., to get the better of, defeat, put down. colloq. (orig. Mil.). Cf. sense 7 b.
| 1915 H. Bruckshaw Diary Aug. in Times (1976) 7 Feb. 12/6 We had at last cleared the place except for sundry stragglers who would no doubt be seen off later. 1919 W. Lang Sea Lawyer's Log xi. 137 You may ‘see off’ a mess⁓mate by overwhelming him with violence, outpointing him in cunning or overcoming him with policy. 1929 Times 21 Feb. 11 When he and another detective went to arrest the men Hughes called to the Alsatian. ‘See 'em off.’ 1944 R. P. Fleming Jrnl. in D. Hart-Davis Peter Fleming (1974) xii. 293 An unusually well-found fighting patrol..perfectly capable of seeing-off the small parties from L. of C. 1961 Sunday Express 10 Dec. 5/2 (caption) Fast as I tell him to ‘See 'em off’ they tell him to ‘Sit’. 1969 Y. Carter Mr. Campion's Farthing ix. 86, I know an audience of stuffed shirts when I see one. Besides—I just had to see that pompous bastard off. 1981 ‘M. Yorke’ Hand of Death x. 90 He'd..been rebuffed... She'd seen him off good and proper. |
b. Cricket. to see off the new ball: to bat until the shine has been removed from the ball (esp. at the start of an innings).
| 1969 J. Arlott Crickett: Great All-Rounders vii. 108 Bailey was the intractable substance which..made a good innings better by seeing off a new ball down the order to give the tail-enders a chance. 1977 Observer 20 Mar. 1/4 The openers had batted for a while and had seen a lot of the new ball off. |
28. see out. † a. ? To let (a person) have his say, to see how far he will go.
| 1715 Addison Freeholder No. 22 ¶2 He [a fellow-traveller] affirmed roundly, that there had not been one good law passed since King William's accession to the throne, except the Act for preserving the game. I had a mind to see him out, and therefore did not care for contradicting him. |
b. In a drinking contest, to outlast.
| 1756 Connoisseur II. 555 Tom Buck..can see out the stoutest freeholder in England. 1837 Dickens Pickw. xlviii, I have heard him say that he could see the Dundee people out any day, and walk home afterwards without staggering. 1862 Thackeray Philip vii, Pass the bottle!..we intend to see you all out. |
c. To go through with to the end.
| 1782 Let. 12 Feb. in Essex Inst. Hist. Coll. (1859) I. 13/2, I am Detarmend as I have beene so long in the servis to se it out. 1783 H. Newdigate Let. 23 Mar in A. E. Newdigate-Newdegate Cheverels (1898) iv. 50 Y⊇ Opera..is to be wonderfully shewy & the last Dance y⊇ best, so we must see it out. 1794 Gouv. Morris in Sparks Life & Writ. (1832) II. 453, I conceived my honor concerned in seeing the thing out. 1879 Froude Cæsar xx. 333 The engagement had been entered into that he was to see his term out. 1860 F. W. Robinson Grandm. Money ii. viii, [I] wish he'd stop another week [at Hastings] and see the five and twenty pounds out. 1889 J. K. Jerome Three Men in Boat v. 73 He evidently meant to see this thing out. |
d. To survive.
| 1825 Scott Diary 7 Dec. in Lockhart VI. 151 My dear wife..is, I fear, frail in health—though I trust and pray she may see me out. |
e. Of a thing (esp. one's personal property): to last (at least) as long as (a person or his lifetime); to outlast or suffice to the end.
| 1969 M. Pugh Last Place Left xix. 143 The suits I have will see me out. 1976 Guardian 10 Apr. 10/8, I imported a German car, a convertible Beetle... No more of these are being imported, but I expect it to see me out. |
29. see through. To continue to watch or take part in (a matter) until the end (cf. 28 c); to take care that (a person) comes successfully through his difficulties.
| 1828 L. Hunt in Companion 6 Feb. 48 William III. The Dutchman, call'd to see our vessel through. 1872 H. Kingsley Hornby Mills etc. II. 60 O'Flaherty..told him that he would see the bonfire through and the captain to bed, and take the consequences. Ibid. 68 We will see him through if he were to burn the college down. 1913 J. Vaizey College Girl xviii. 250 Her thoughts flew off to Ralph Percival..recalling with pleasure his promise to ‘see her through’. 1916 H. G. Wells (title) Mr. Britling sees it through. 1939 War Illustr. 14 Oct. 147 (heading) Mr. Briton'll see it through. 1977 G. Butler Brides of Friedberg v. 129 Don't worry..I'll see you through. |
III. 30. Comb. see-everything, one who sees everything.
| 1853 [see say v.1 B. 14]. |
▸ trans. To have a romantic or sexual relationship with (a person). Cf. date v. 2d.
| 1924 M. Brand Dan Barry's Daughter ix. 91 ‘You've been seeing a man!’ he cried. ‘My God, is that it?’ 1950 Post-Standard (Syracuse, N.Y.) 30 Nov. 10/2 I've been seeing him for well over a month and he's never done anything wrong in that period of time. 1986 Toronto Star (Nexis) 1 June d1 Patti and I have defined an undefined relationship and have decided for now, at least, that we are going to see other people. 2001 Times 28 Feb. ii. 4/3 When my parents believed—mistakenly—that I was seeing a 34-year-old at the age of 14, it was not received as any kind of parental downer. |
▪ IV. see
obs. form of sea n.1