Semantic field: LOOK and SEE

Ways of Looking

— look: give attention to what one is seeing; turn the eyes and see in a certain direction.
Look at that cute baby!
— see: use the power of sight.
See! Here she comes!
— watch: look at some activity or event; keep one's eyes fixed on something.
The boys watched television all the afternoon.
— gaze: look at something for a long time, in surprise or admiration.
She gazed at him in disbelief when he told her the news.
— stare: look at something for a long time with the eyes wide open.
She was staring into space.
— gawk = gawp: stare impolitely.
Many people gathered to gawp at the crashed car.
— gape: look at something with one's mouth open.
She gaped at him in surprise.
— glance: have a quick look at something.
She glanced at her watch.
— scan: look quickly at something without careful reading.
He scanned the newspaper over breakfast.
— glare: stare angrily or fiercely.
She didn't answered, but just glared silently at me.
— peer: look very carefully, as if not able to see well.
He peered at me over his spectacles.
— peep: look quickly and cautiously.
He was caught peeping through the keyhole.
— observe: watch carefully.
The police observed the man entering the bank.
— glimpse: have a passing view of something or someone. Usually used in the expression to catch a glimpse of.
He could catch a glimpse of the president among the crowd.
— spot: recognize someone suddenly among many others.
He was spotted by the police boarding a plane for Berlin.
— behold: old use of the verb to see.
Behold the king!
— view: (technical) look thouroughly; regard, consider.
That film hasn't been viewed by the censor yet.
— sight: see for the first time.
The men in the ship finally sighted land.
— leer: look in an unpleasant way, suggesting ill will or lust.
The man leered at the young girl
— blink: shut and open the eyes quickly.
How long can you stare without blinking?
— wink: close one eye briefly, as a signal to somebody.
He winked at me to show that he was just joking.
— frown: look in a worried or angry way, moving down the eyebrows together.
He read the telegram, frowning at its contents.
— scowl: frown angrily.
She was very angry and scowled at him while she talked.
— squint: look with eyes half shut or turned sideways, or through a narrow opening.
She squinted through the letter-box and saw an envelope.
— peek: look quickly and secretively.
She found her brother peeking at her diary.
— ogle: look or stare (at a woman) suggesting sexual interest.
Most women hate being ogled at.
_browse: look through the pages of a book or magazine; look at the goods in a shop without really wanting to buy anything.
Sheila spent all the afternoon browsing the boutiques.

I've discovered that it's very difficult to differentiate the different verbs related to look, that's the reason for posting this. I try to make it clear, in the English Language is richer than Spanish in verbs to explain different actions. ( En Español, sólo tenemos el verbo mirar o ver y los alternamos con adverbios o adjetivos para indicar diferentes significados; por ejemplo: mirar lascivamente, mirar boquiabierto... Por eso es bastante difícil aprender todos estos verbos, que por otra parte les serán muy utiles a nuestros alumnos, ya que mejorarán su vocabulario y expresión en la lengua inglesa)

SOME PRACTICE with these verbs:

EXERCISE 1:

Choose among the following verbs to complete the sentences:
Gaze (x 2), peep, stare(x2), see, glance (x2),gape, glare
1. The tourists stood there ......... at the lovely scenery. One could see the admiration in their eyes.
2.Some animals and birds find no difficulty moving at night as they have the ability to ………..in the dark.
3As Kathryn was in a hurry and so hungry she simply ......... at the menu and ordered a sandwich and some salad.
4. They decided to spend a romantic night sleeping on the beach and ......... at the stars.
5. As Jeremy had never been in a city like New York before, he just stood in front of the tall skyscrapers with his mouth open and ......... at them.
6 When Julia saw her husband with another woman, she was so shocked that she could do nothing but ......... at him in disbelief.
7 This man was their only hope and when he let them down they all ......... at him in alarm.
8. Brian had a feeling that the black Ford had been following him. He ......... in the rearview mirror to see if the car was still behind him.
9. The kids were told off many times for ......... through the keyhole while their parents were having an argument in the bedroom.
10. He ......... at his wife when she actually dared to oppose him.


Answers: (1.gazing 2.see. 3.glanced 4.gazing 5.gaped 6. stare 7. stared 8. glanced 9. peeping 10. glared.)