see

Verb

see (third-person singular simple present sees, present participle seeing, simple past saw, past participle seen)

1. (stative) To perceive or detect with the eyes, or as if by sight.
   • 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 1, in Mr. Pratt's Patients:

     Pretty soon I struck into a sort of path. […] It twisted and turned, […] and opened out into a big clear space like a lawn. And, back of the lawn, was a big, old-fashioned house, with piazzas stretching in front of it, and all blazing with lights. 'Twas the house I'd seen the roof of from the beach.

   • 1959, Georgette Heyer, chapter 1, in The Unknown Ajax:

     But Richmond […] appeared to lose himself in his own reflections. Some pickled crab, which he had not touched, had been removed with a damson pie; and his sister saw […] that he had eaten no more than a spoonful of that either.

   1. To witness or observe by personal experience.

      Now I've seen it all!

      I have been blind since birth and I love to read Braille. When the books arrive in from the library, I can’t wait to see what stories they have sent me.

      I saw military service in Vietnam.

      • Bible, John viii. 51

        Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.

      • Charles Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby

        […] And remember this, 'scapegallows,' said Ralph, menacing him with his hand, 'that if we meet again, and you so much as notice me by one begging gesture, you shall see the inside of a jail once more […]

2. To form a mental picture of.
   • 2013 August 23, Mark Cocker, “Wings of Desire”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 11, page 28:

     It is not just that we see birds as little versions of ourselves. It is also that, at the same time, they stand outside any moral process. They are utterly indifferent. This absolute oblivion on their part, this lack of sharing, is powerful.

   1. (figuratively) To understand.

      Do you see what I mean?

      • 2013 June 28, Joris Luyendijk, “Our banks are out of control”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 3, page 21:

        Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic […] . Until 2008 there was denial over what finance had become. […] But the scandals kept coming […] . A broad section of the political class now recognises the need for change but remains unable to see the necessity of a fundamental overhaul.

   2. To come to a realization of having been mistaken or misled.

      They're blind to the damage they do, but someday they'll see.

3. (social) To meet, to visit.
   1. To have an interview with; especially, to make a call upon; to visit.

      to go to see a friend

      • Bible, 1 Samuel xv. 35

        And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death.

   2. To date frequently.

      I've been seeing her for two months

4. (transitive) To be the setting or time of.

   The 20th century saw humanity's first space exploration.

   • 1995 June 3, David Sprague, “Buffalo Tom Reaches Crossroads: EastWest Trio At Make-Or-Break Point”, in Billboard, volume 107, number 22, page 9:

     It seems as if every passing year sees the mainstream embrace a longtime cult-favorite alternative rock band.

5. (by extension) To ensure that something happens, especially while witnessing it.

   I'll see you hang for this!  I saw that they didn't make any more trouble.

6. (gambling) To respond to another player's bet with a bet of equal value.

   I'll see your twenty dollars and raise you ten.

7. (sometimes mystical) To foresee, predict, or prophesy.

   The oracle saw the destruction of the city.

8. To determine by trial or experiment; to find out (if or whether).

   I'll come over later and see if I can fix your computer.

9. (used in the imperative) Used to emphasise a proposition.

   You see Johnny, your Dad isn't your real dad.

10. (used in the imperative) To reference or to study for further details.

    Step 4: In the system, check out the laptop to the student (see: "Logging Resources" in the Tutor Manual).

    This article is about the insect. For the English rock band, see The Beatles.

    For a complete proof of the Poincaré conjecture, see Appendix C.

Interjection

see

1. Directing the audience to pay attention to the following

   See here, fellas, there's no need for all this rucus!

2. Introducing an explanation

   See, in order to win the full prize we would have to come up with a scheme to land a rover on the Moon.

Translations

Synonyms: look, well, so

See also

• look
• sight
• watch

Noun

see (plural sees)

1. A diocese, archdiocese; a region of a church, generally headed by a bishop, especially an archbishop.
2. The office of a bishop or archbishop; bishopric or archbishopric
3. A seat; a site; a place where sovereign power is exercised.
   • Spenser

     Jove laughed on Venus from his sovereign see.

See also

• cathedra
• cathedral
• chair
• throne

Declension

See also

• kes
• mis

Alternative forms

• cee

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈseː/
• Hyphenation: see

Noun

see

1. cee (The name of the Latin-script letter C/c.)
   • 1990, Hämäläinen, Eila, Aletaan I: Suomen kielen oppikirja vasta-alkajille (Let's begin I: Finnish textbook for the beginners), Helsinki: Helsingin Yliopisto (University of Helsinki), →ISBN, page 23:

     Luemme kirjaimet näin: aa bee see dee ee äf gee hoo ii jii koo äl äm än oo pee kuu är äs tee uu vee kaksois-vee äks yy tset ruotsalainen oo ää öö

     We read the letters as follows: aa bee see …

Numeral

see

1. (colloquial, counting) seven

See also

• seitsemän (“seven”)

Inflection

Descendants

• Dutch: zee
• Limburgish: zieë
• West Flemish: zji, zêe

Alternative forms

• see, se, sæ, ce, sea, sei, ze

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sɛː/, /seː/
• Rhymes: -ɛː

Noun

see (plural sees)

1. sea, ocean
2. A body of water, a lake

Alternative forms

• se, ce, cee

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /seː/
• Rhymes: -eː

Noun

see (plural sees)

1. seat, chair
2. dwelling, residence
3. A royal or episcopal chair
4. A royal or episcopal polity or realm
5. A royal or episcopal residence
6. (Christianity) The Kingdom of Heaven.