see meaning

UK /siː/ US /si/ 1 syllable

see (verb): perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight.

see has 25 meanings in this dictionary, as verb and noun.

see as a verb

  1. perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
    • You have to be a good observer to see all the details
    • Can you see the bird in that tree?
    • He is blind--he cannot see

    Type of: perceive

    Kinds: glimpse, catch sight, behold

    Related forms: seer, seeing

  2. perceive (an idea or situation) mentally
    • Now I see!
    • I just can't see your point
    • Does she realize how important this decision is?
    • I don't understand the idea

    Synonyms: understand, realize, realise

    Kinds: perceive, appreciate

  3. perceive or be contemporaneous with
    • We found Republicans winning the offices
    • You'll see a lot of cheating in this school
    • The 1960's saw the rebellion of the younger generation against established traditions
    • I want to see results

    Synonyms: witness, find

    Type of: experience

    Kinds: catch

  4. imagine; conceive of; see in one's mind
    • I can't see him on horseback!
    • I can see what will happen
    • I can see a risk in this strategy

    Synonyms: visualize, visualise, envision, project, fancy, figure, picture, image

    Type of: imagine

    Related forms: seer

  5. deem to be
    • She views this quite differently from me
    • I consider her to be shallow
    • I don't see the situation quite as negatively as you do

    Synonyms: consider, reckon, view, regard

    Type of: think

    Kinds: expect, receive, reconsider, include, consider, call, like, relativize, identify, favor, abstract, reify

  6. get to know or become aware of, usually accidentally
    • I learned that she has two grown-up children
    • I see that you have been promoted

    Synonyms: learn, hear, get word, get wind, pick up, find out, get a line, discover

    Kinds: get the goods, wise up, trip up, ascertain, discover

  7. see or watch
    • view a show on television
    • This program will be seen all over the world
    • view an exhibition
    • Catch a show on Broadway
    • see a movie

    Synonyms: watch, view, catch, take in

    Type of: watch

    Kinds: visualize, spectate, preview

    Related forms: seer

  8. come together
    • I'll probably see you at the meeting
    • How nice to see you again!

    Synonyms: meet, run into, encounter, run across, come across

    Kinds: intersect

  9. find out, learn, or determine with certainty, usually by making an inquiry or other effort
    • I want to see whether she speaks French
    • See whether it works
    • find out if he speaks Russian
    • Check whether the train leaves on time

    Synonyms: determine, check, find out, ascertain, watch, learn

    Kinds: test

  10. be careful or certain to do something; make certain of something
    • He verified that the valves were closed
    • See that the curtains are closed
    • control the quality of the product

    Synonyms: check, insure, see to it, ensure, control, ascertain, assure

    Type of: verify

    Kinds: proofread, control, double-check, cross-check, cinch, card, spot-check, cover

  11. go to see for professional or business reasons
    • You should see a lawyer
    • We had to see a psychiatrist

    Type of: visit

  12. go to see for a social visit
    • I went to see my friend Mary the other day

    Type of: visit

  13. go to see a place, as for entertainment
    • We went to see the Eiffel Tower in the morning

    Synonyms: visit

    Type of: tour

    Kinds: take in

  14. take charge of or deal with
    • Could you see about lunch?
    • I must attend to this matter
    • She took care of this business

    Synonyms: attend, take care, look

    Type of: care

    Kinds: minister, tend

  15. receive as a specified guest
    • the doctor will see you now
    • The minister doesn't see anybody before noon

    Type of: receive

  16. date regularly; have a steady relationship with
    • Did you know that she is seeing an older man?
    • He is dating his former wife again!

    Synonyms: go steady, go out, date

    Type of: consort

  17. see and understand, have a good eye
    • The artist must first learn to see

    Related forms: seeing

  18. deliberate or decide
    • See whether you can come tomorrow
    • let's see--which movie should we see tonight?

    Type of: consider

  19. observe as if with an eye
    • The camera saw the burglary and recorded it

    Type of: detect

  20. observe, check out, and look over carefully or inspect
    • The customs agent examined the baggage
    • I must see your passport before you can enter the country

    Synonyms: examine

    Kinds: search, x-ray, candle, autopsy, auscultate, survey, scan, peruse, size up, inspect, check

  21. undergo or live through a difficult experience
    • We had many trials to go through
    • he saw action in Viet Nam

    Synonyms: experience, go through

    Type of: undergo

    Kinds: know, suffer, feel, enjoy, witness, come

  22. accompany or escort
    • I'll see you to the door

    Synonyms: escort

    Type of: accompany

  23. match or meet
    • I saw the bet of one of my fellow players

    Type of: bet

  24. make sense of; assign a meaning to
    • What message do you see in this letter?
    • How do you interpret his behavior?

    Synonyms: interpret, construe

    Type of: understand

    Kinds: misconstrue, read between the lines, mythicize, literalize, spiritualize, reinterpret, allegorize, take, read, educe

see as a noun

  1. the seat within a bishop's diocese where his cathedral is located

    Type of: seat

    Kinds: Holy See

How to pronounce see

see is pronounced /siː/ in British English and /si/ in American English. It has 1 syllable.

Words that rhyme with see

Scrabble score: 3 (letter breakdown)

Word lists: words starting with SE · words ending in EE · 3-letter words

More about see on Wikipedia.