see
see — verb
1. to notice people or objects around you through the sense of sight
to notice people or objects around you through the sense of sight
Trang saw a rabbit hop across the garden path this morning.
see + noun phrase for physical perception
Omar cannot see the words on the board without his glasses.
can/could + see for ability
From the hilltop, Élise could see the river winding through the valley.
The cat saw a mouse and sat very still near the kitchen door.
see + noun phrase with animal subject
Ada saw that her friend was crying and went to comfort her.
see + that-clause for noticing a situation
- see clearly
- see someone doing something
- can see
- see from a distance
- miss
to fail to see something even when looking
Grammar Patterns
see + noun phrase
can/could + see
see + that-clause
Usage Note
Frequently used with 'can' or 'could' to describe the ability to perceive by sight, especially in the present tense. 'I see a bird' and 'I can see a bird' are both natural, but 'I can see' is more common in British English for present-moment perception.
Common Mistakes
2. to attend or view an entertainment programme, sporting event, or show as a spect
to attend or view an entertainment programme, sporting event, or show as a spectator
Xiu and her sister saw a great film at the cinema last weekend.
see + film at a venue
Millions of people saw the football final on television around the world.
Christopher saw a wonderful play at the National Theatre last night.
see + performance type
We saw the band play live at a small club in Taipei.
see + someone + do something (live event)
Baraka and his cousins saw a thrilling basketball final at the indoor stadium.
- see a film
- see a show
- see a match
- see a performance
Grammar Patterns
see + film/TV show/performance
see + someone + do/doing something
Usage Note
In this sense, 'see' usually refers to attending or watching an entire event. 'Watch' is more common for paying close attention moment by moment (e.g., 'watch TV'). 'See' is preferred for films, plays, and live performances as complete experiences.
Common Mistakes
3. if a time or place sees an event, that event happens during that time or in that
if a time or place sees an event, that event happens during that time or in that place
Last year saw a huge increase in visitors to the national park.
time period + sees + event noun phrase
The old town square has seen many festivals over the past hundred years.
place + has seen + event
The 1990s saw the rapid growth of internet use around the world.
This stadium saw the national team win its first championship in 2015.
- year sees
- decade sees
- town sees
- place sees
- saw changes
- witness
more formal; strongly personified, as if the time/place is an observer
- experience
broader; can also be used with person subjects
Grammar Patterns
time/place + sees + event
Usage Note
The subject of this sense is always a time expression (year, decade, era) or a place (town, stadium, region), never a person. The verb cannot be used in the continuous form for this meaning.
Common Mistakes
4. used to say that something even more surprising, impressive, or extreme is still
used to say that something even more surprising, impressive, or extreme is still to appear or happen
If you think that song was good, you have not seen anything yet.
fixed expression: haven't seen anything yet
The chef told us we had not seen the best dish, which was still coming.
You think this city is busy now? You have not seen it during the festival.
The tour guide told the group they had not seen the best view yet.
- haven't seen anything yet
- ain't seen nothing yet
Grammar Patterns
(you) have not seen + anything/nothing + yet
Usage Note
Almost always used in the negative structure 'haven't seen anything yet' or 'haven't seen nothing yet'. The expression builds anticipation for something more remarkable.
5. to understand something or grasp the meaning or truth of a fact, idea, or situat
to understand something or grasp the meaning or truth of a fact, idea, or situation
Sofia suddenly saw that she had made a mistake in her calculation.
see + that-clause for sudden realisation
I do not see why the meeting was cancelled at the last minute.
see + wh-clause for understanding a reason
Do you see what I mean about the traffic being worse in the morning?
Oh, I see! The train leaves from platform three, not platform one.
intransitive 'I see' as a response of understanding
Lakshmi could not see the joke until her friend explained it to her.
- see the point
- see the problem
- see why
- see what someone means
- I see
- understand
more formal and precise; implies full comprehension
- realize
becoming aware of something one did not notice before
- grasp
to understand something fully, often something difficult
- miss
to fail to understand something
Grammar Patterns
see + that-clause
see + wh-clause
see + noun phrase (meaning)
I see (intransitive)
Usage Note
This sense can take a that-clause ('I see that you are busy') or a wh-clause ('I see what you mean'). The intransitive 'I see' is a common conversational response meaning 'I understand' — it has no continuous form.
Common Mistakes
6. to spend time with someone by meeting them, or to go to a place and look around
to spend time with someone by meeting them, or to go to a place and look around it
Antonia went to see her grandmother at the hospital after work.
see + someone for a visit
We should go and see the new art museum while we are in town.
see + place as a visitor
The doctor will see patients between two and four this afternoon.
see + someone for a professional appointment
Noa saw an old friend from university at the supermarket yesterday.
Sade went to see the famous temple during her trip to Kyoto.
- see a doctor
- see a friend
- come and see
- go and see
- see someone about something
Grammar Patterns
see + someone (meet)
see + place (visit)
Usage Note
Distinguish from verb/7 (DATING) — this sense covers casual social meetings, visits to places, and professional appointments, not romantic relationships.
7. to go out on dates with someone because you are romantically interested in them,
to go out on dates with someone because you are romantically interested in them, often as a step toward a committed relationship.
Ari has been seeing Greta for about three months now, and they seem very happy.
progressive: has been seeing [someone]
My grandmother asked if I was seeing anyone special these days.
interrogative: whether someone is seeing anyone
Daichi and Roya started seeing each other after they met at a cooking class.
reciprocal: seeing each other
Christopher is not ready to see just one person — he prefers casual dates.
Felix asked Élise if he was seeing anyone, and she said no.
- see someone
- see each other
- seeing anyone
- date
more direct and slightly more intentional than 'see'
- go out with
informal, same meaning as 'see' in this sense
Grammar Patterns
see + object (a person)
see + each other
Usage Note
Often used in the progressive form (seeing someone) to indicate an ongoing romantic relationship. The question 'Are you seeing anyone?' is a common way to ask about someone's relationship status.
Common Mistakes
8. to hold a particular judgement on a person or thing, or to picture someone carry
to hold a particular judgement on a person or thing, or to picture someone carrying out a specific activity — for instance, viewing a mistake as a useful lesson, or imagining a friend living in another country.
Many people see the new policy as a positive step for the environment.
see + object + as + noun phrase
I can see Tomás becoming a great teacher — he is very patient with children.
see + object + verb-ing (imagining future)
Noa saw the argument as a chance to finally clear the air between them.
past tense: saw + object + as
Do you see yourself staying at this company for another five years?
question: see yourself + verb-ing
Henrik sees every mistake as a lesson he can learn from.
present habitual: sees + as
- see as
- see as a threat/opportunity/problem
- can see becoming/doing
Grammar Patterns
see + object + as + noun/adjective
see + object + verb-ing
Usage Note
Often followed by as + noun/adjective (see something as a problem / see it as useful) or by verb-ing (can see someone becoming / see yourself doing). The object can be a person, a situation, or an abstract idea.
Common Mistakes
9. to walk with someone to a place, usually to make sure they arrive safely or to s
to walk with someone to a place, usually to make sure they arrive safely or to show them the way.
Jabari offered to see Roya home after the party ended late.
see + object + home (direction without preposition)
The nurse saw the patient to the front door of the clinic.
see + object + to + place
Let me see you to the train station — it is easy to get lost here.
imperative offer: see + object + to + place
Ayesha saw her grandmother to the taxi and waved goodbye.
Greta asked her brother to see her to the bus stop after dark.
- see someone home
- see someone to the door
- see someone out
Grammar Patterns
see + object + to/into + place
see + object + home/out
Usage Note
Commonly paired with direction words like 'home', 'to the door', 'to the station', or 'out'. Often implies a polite or protective gesture rather than an official duty.
10. to make an effort to gain information or find an answer, such as by checking a s
to make an effort to gain information or find an answer, such as by checking a source, asking a question, or waiting for news.
Please see if the mail has arrived yet this morning.
imperative: see + if-clause
I will call the hotel to see whether they have any rooms available tonight.
see + whether-clause
Can you see who is knocking at the front door?
see + who-clause
Daichi opened the box to see what was inside the package.
see + what-clause
Let me see how much this train ticket costs before I buy it.
imperative: see + how-clause
- see if
- see whether
- see who/what/where/how
Grammar Patterns
see + if/whether-clause
see + wh-clause
Usage Note
Typically takes an interrogative clause (if, whether, who, what, where, how). The object clause answers the question the speaker wants answered. Common in imperatives and polite requests.
Common Mistakes
11. to take action in order to guarantee that something happens or is carried out as
to take action in order to guarantee that something happens or is carried out as it should be.
Please see that the doors are locked before you go to bed.
imperative: see that + clause
The supervisor saw that every workstation had the correct safety equipment before authorising the shift.
past tense: saw that + clause
See to it that all the lights are turned off when you leave.
phrase: see to it that + clause
Noa saw that every window was locked and the alarm was set before leaving for work.
The manager will see that your complaint is passed to the right department.
- see that
- see to it that
Grammar Patterns
see (that) + clause
see to it that + clause
Usage Note
Usually followed by a that-clause. The conjunction 'that' can be omitted in informal speech. The alternative form 'see to it that' is more emphatic and is common in instructions.
Common Mistakes
see about
phrasal verbTo deal with or arrange something.
I'll see about getting tickets for the concert.
Can you see about fixing the leaky faucet?
see in
phrasal verbTo celebrate the beginning of a new year or period.
We saw in the new year with fireworks.
They saw in the spring with a picnic.
see off
phrasal verbTo go to a place like an airport or station to say goodbye to someone who is leaving.
We saw our friends off at the train station.
She saw off her brother before he flew to Japan.
see out
phrasal verbTo accompany a guest to the door when they leave.
The host saw us out after the party.
Please see the visitor out through the back door.
see over
phrasal verbTo visit and look around a building or property.
We saw over the house before deciding to buy it.
The agent saw over the apartment with the client.
see through
phrasal verbTo continue doing something until it is finished, especially something difficult.
She saw the project through despite many problems.
He saw through the training program to the end.
see to
phrasal verbTo deal with or take care of something that needs attention.
I'll see to the dinner reservations right now.
Can you see to the children while I cook?
see to it that
phrasal verbTo make sure that something happens.
Please see to it that the door is locked.
She saw to it that everyone received a copy.
In a way that everyone can clearly notice or observe.
Mia hung the painting in the window for all to see.
His embarrassment was plain for all the world to see.
let me see/let’s see
idiomUsed when you need a moment to think or recall something.
Let me see, I think the meeting is at three.
Let's see, where did I put my keys?
see something coming
idiomTo predict that a problem will happen before it actually occurs.
We should have seen the storm coming and left earlier.
Didn't you see that argument coming?
To recognize the true nature of someone or something, especially when it is not good.
After the scandal, voters saw the politician for what he was.
She finally saw the job offer for what it was: a scam.
see for yourself
idiomTo check or observe something personally to confirm the truth.
If you doubt me, come and see for yourself.
Open the box and see for yourself what's inside.
seeing that…
idiomUsed to give a reason; because of the fact that.
Seeing that it's raining, we should stay indoors.
Seeing that you're here, let's start the meeting.
you see
idiomUsed when explaining something to someone.
You see, the problem is we don't have enough time.
I was late, you see, because my car broke down.
A friendly way to say goodbye to someone you expect to meet again.
Thanks for the coffee, Mia. See you later!
I'll be seeing you at the conference next week, right?
see — noun
1. A town or city where a bishop's main church stands and from which the bishop exe
A town or city where a bishop's main church stands and from which the bishop exercises religious authority.
The Archbishop of Canterbury holds authority over the historic see of Canterbury.
collocation: the see of [place name]
Cardinal Okafor was appointed to lead the see of Nairobi in 2019.
passive: appointed to lead the see of [city]
The Holy See is the name given to the central government of the Catholic Church.
proper noun: the Holy See (fixed expression)
Salma learned about the bishop's see during her visit to the old cathedral.
Each diocese has a see where the bishop's main church is located.
grammar: a see (countable noun with determiner)
- see of [place]
- the Holy See
- appointed to the see
- vacant see
- fill the see
Grammar Patterns
the see of [place]
the Holy See
Usage Note
Often followed by 'of' plus a place name (e.g. 'the see of Rome'). The fixed expression 'the Holy See' refers specifically to the papacy and the central administration of the Catholic Church, not to a geographic location.
see — idiom
1. a reference to Thomas Jefferson Jackson See (1866–1962), a US-born researcher in
a reference to Thomas Jefferson Jackson See (1866–1962), a US-born researcher in astronomy and mathematics who worked on binary stars, solar physics, and gravity theory at the US Naval Observatory and the University of Berlin — found mainly in historical writing about late-19th and early-20th century astronomy.
Lara found a 1903 paper by See while researching early theories about how planets form.
The observatory library keeps the original notes that See wrote about his star measurements.
possessive: See + noun for attribution
Historians of astronomy still discuss some of the claims that See made about gravity.
passive: claims that See made about [topic]
Few people today know the name See, but his work appears in old astronomy textbooks.
Usage Note
This entry refers to the person Thomas Jefferson Jackson See, not to the common English verb or noun. The surname See is used with a capital S in biographical references.
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
See is the most general verb for visual perception — it describes the involuntary act of receiving visual information (I saw a bird land on the fence). Watch implies deliberate, sustained attention over time, especially to something moving or changing (watch a football match / watch the sunset). Look suggests directing the eyes intentionally toward something, often followed by at (look at the painting closely). In the cognitive sense, see (I see your point) is less formal than understand and suggests a moment of realisation, while realize emphasises becoming aware of something previously unnoticed. In the social sense, see a friend is neutral and common; meet focuses on the first encounter or an arranged appointment; visit implies travelling to a person or place. For the verification sense, see that the door is locked is softer than ensure and more natural in conversation than confirm, which is more formal. Choose see for everyday conversation and ensure or confirm for formal or written instructions.
Common collocations
Etymology
From Old English sēon (to perceive by sight), from Proto-Germanic *sehwaną, from the Proto-Indo-European root *sekʷ- (to see, to follow with the eyes). Cognates include Dutch zien, German sehen, and Latin sequī (to follow).