Look
/lʊk/
Definitions
4 meaningsTo direct one's eyes in a certain direction; to gaze; to examine with the eyes.
/lʊk/
To direct one's eyes towards something.
He looked at the map to find his way.
💡 Simply: It's like when you're searching for your favorite toy and you *look* under the bed, or when you *look* up at the sky and see the clouds. You're using your eyes to see!
👶 For kids: To use your eyes to see something.
More Examples
The children looked out the window at the snow.
She looked carefully at the instructions before starting.
How It's Used
"She looked at the painting."
To have the appearance of; to seem.
/lʊk/
To appear or seem.
The sky looks clear today.
💡 Simply: Sometimes, something *looks* tasty even if you haven't tried it yet, like a slice of pizza! Or, a problem might *look* hard, even if you're smart enough to solve it.
👶 For kids: To seem like something.
More Examples
The cake looks delicious.
That looks like a good idea.
How It's Used
"The problem looks difficult."
An act of directing one's gaze; a glance or examination.
/lʊk/
An act of looking; a glance.
He took a long look at the painting.
💡 Simply: A *look* is a quick peep, like when you take a *look* at your phone to see if you have a new text, or give someone a quick *look* to see if they're okay.
👶 For kids: When you use your eyes to see something, like a quick peek.
More Examples
She gave me a disapproving look.
I took a quick look around the room.
How It's Used
"She gave a quick look at the time."
The appearance or expression of something; often used regarding style.
/lʊk/
The appearance of something or someone.
Her new dress gives her a stylish look.
💡 Simply: Someone's *look* can describe their style, like their outfit and hairstyle. It's how they *look* put together!
👶 For kids: How something or someone appears, like their clothes or their face.
More Examples
The restaurant has a modern look.
He has a serious look on his face.
How It's Used
"She has a unique look."
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
look after
To take care of someone or something.
"I will look after your cat while you're on vacation."
look down on
To regard someone or something as inferior.
"He looks down on people who haven't been to college."
look up to
To admire and respect someone.
"She looks up to her older sister."
look the other way
To ignore something, often something wrong or illegal.
"The police looked the other way when the shopkeeper sold alcohol to minors."
look like
To resemble or appear similar to someone or something.
"He looks like his father."
From Old English *lōcian*, meaning 'to look, gaze, see', related to German *lugen* 'to look'.
The word 'look' has been used for centuries to express the act of seeing and perceiving. It has evolved from Old English, reflecting the fundamental human action of using our eyes to understand the world.
Memory tip
Imagine your eyes are little spotlights, shining on whatever you want to 'look' at!