English
sight
Pronunciation Noun

sight

  1. (in the singular) The ability to see.
    He is losing his sight and now can barely read.
    • c. 1588–1593, William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act III, scene ii]:
      Thy sight is young#English|young, / And thou shalt read#English|read when mine begin to dazzle.
    • 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […]”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: Printed by J. M[acock] for John Starkey […], OCLC 228732398 ↗, lines 67, page 12 ↗:
      O loſs of ſight, of thee I moſt complain!
  2. The act of seeing; perception of objects by the eye; view.
    to gain sight of land
    • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), imprinted at London: By Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981 ↗, Acts 1:9 ↗:
      And when hee had spoken these things, while they beheld, hee was taken vp, and a cloud receiued him out of their sight.
  3. Something seen.
    • 2005, Lesley Brown (translator), Plato (author), Sophist, 236d:
      He's a really remarkable man and it's very hard to get him in one's sights; […]
  4. Something worth seeing; a spectacle, either good or bad.
    We went to London and saw all the sights – Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, and so on.
    You really look a sight in that ridiculous costume!
    • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), imprinted at London: By Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981 ↗, Exodus 3:3 ↗:
      And Moses saide, I will nowe turne aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
    • They never saw a sight so fair.
  5. A device used in aiming a projectile, through which the person aiming looks at the intended target.
  6. A small aperture through which objects are to be seen, and by which their direction is settled or ascertained.
    the sight of a quadrant
    • c. 1596–1599, William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act IV, scene i]:
      their eyes of fire sparking through sights of steel
  7. (now colloquial) a great deal, a lot; frequently used to intensify a comparative.
    a sight of money
    This is a darn sight better than what I'm used to at home!
    • a wonder sight of flowers
    • 1913, D.H. Lawrence, Sons and Lovers, chapter 2
      "If your mother put you in the pit at twelve, it's no reason why I should do the same with my lad."
      "Twelve! It wor a sight afore that!"
  8. In a drawing, picture, etc., that part of the surface, as of paper or canvas, which is within the frame or the border or margin. In a frame, the open space, the opening.
  9. (obsolete) The instrument of seeing; the eye.
    • c. 1607–1608, William Shakeſpeare, The Late, And much admired Play, Called Pericles, Prince of Tyre. […]‎, London: Imprinted at London for Henry Goſſon,  […], published 1609, OCLC 78596089 ↗, [Act I, scene i]:
      Why cloude they not their ſights perpetually,
  10. Mental view; opinion; judgment.
    In their sight it was harmless.
    • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), imprinted at London: By Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981 ↗, Luke 16:15 ↗:
      That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
Synonyms Translations Translations Translations Verb

sight (sights, present participle sighting; past and past participle sighted)

  1. (transitive) To register visually.
  2. (transitive) To get sight of (something).
    to sight land from a ship
  3. (transitive) To apply sights to; to adjust the sights of; also, to give the proper elevation and direction to by means of a sight.
    to sight a rifle or a cannon
  4. (transitive) To take aim at.
Synonyms Translations Translations Translations

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