1
general::
look on/upon sb as sth
to consider or think of someone or something as something
• We looked on her as a daughter.
• I've lived there so long I look on the town as my home., look after sb/sth
to take care of or be in charge of someone or something
• We look after the neighbours' cat while they're away.
• If you look after your clothes they last a lot longer.
• [ R ]: Don't worry about Mia - she can look after her self., look through sth
to read something quickly
• I've looked through some catalogues., look to sb to do sth
to hope that someone will do something for you
• We're looking to you to advise us on how to proceed., look out for sb/sth
to try to notice someone or something
• Look out for Anna while you're there., look out
1. to watch what is happening and be careful
• The police have warned shopkeepers to look out for forged notes., look into sth
to examine the facts about a problem or situation
• We're looking into the possibility of merging the two departments., look out
2. said or shouted in order to tell someone that they are in danger
• Look out! There's a car coming!, look at sth
EXAMINE
4. If someone, usually an expert, looks at something, they examine it
• Did you get the doctor to look at your knee?, look in
informal
to visit a person for a short time, usually when you are on your way somewhere else
• I thought I might look in on Bob on my way to the shops.
• Can you look in on the kids before you go to bed?, look forward to sth
1. to feel pleased and excited about something that is going to happen
• I'm really looking forward to my holiday.
• [ + -ing verb ]: She was looking forward to seeing the grandchildren again.
• I'm not looking forward to Christmas this year., look sth up
[ M ]
to try to find a piece of information by looking in a book or on a computer
• If you don't know what the word means, look it up in a dictionary., look down on sb
( also look down your nose at sb )
to think that someone is less important than you
• She thinks they look down on her because she didn't go to university., look at sth
OPINION
2. to consider something in a particular way
• If I'd had children I might have looked at things differently., look at sth
THINK
1. to think about a subject carefully so that you can make a decision about it
• Management is looking at ways of cutting costs., look ahead
to think about what will happen in the future and plan for these events
• We are trying to look ahead and see what our options are., look over sth
[ M ]
to quickly examine something or someone
• I had a few minutes before the meeting to look over what he'd written.
• Would you quickly look over these figures for me and see if there are any obvious mistakes?, look up
informal
to become better
• I hope things will start to look up in the new year.
• Our financial situation is looking up at last., look up to sb
to admire and respect someone
• He'd always looked up to his uncle., look sb up
[ M ] informal
to visit someone who you have not seen for a long time when you are visiting the place where they live
• Look me up next time you're in Los Angeles., look on
slightly formal
to watch something happen but not become involved in it
• A large crowd looked on as the band played., look forward to sth
2. [ + -ing verb ] formal used at the end of a formal letter to say you hope to hear from or see someone soon, or that you expect something from them
• I look forward to hearing from you.
• In the circumstances, I look forward to receiving your client's cheque for the sum of £570 within the next seven days., look sth out
[ M ] UK
to search for and find something
• I'll look out that recipe I told you about and send it to you., look to sb for sth
to hope that someone will provide something for you
• They looked to the government for additional support., look at sth
READ
3. to read something in order to check it or form an opinion about it
• Can you look at my essay sometime?, look round (somewhere/sth)
to visit a place and look at the things in it
• She spent the afternoon looking round the shops.
• When we went to Stratford, we only had a couple of hours to look round., look back
to think about something that happened in the past
• When I look back I can see where we went wrong.
• It wasn't such a bad experience when I look back on it.
Cambridge-Phrasal Verbs
2
general::
look
an act of looking at something:
• Let me have a look at the map. • I took a quick look around the room.
glance
a quick look at something before looking away again:
• Susan cast a quick glance at me (= she looked quickly at me ) . • He could not resist a sidelong glance (= quickly looking to the side ) to see what was happening on the other side of the road.
glimpse
a short look at someone or something in which you do not see them very clearly:
• Fans were hoping to catch a glimpse of the singer as he left the hotel. • I had only a fleeting glimpse (= a very quick look ) of the two men as they ran away.
gaze
a long steady look:
• Eddie fixed his gaze on the floor. • She looked up and met his gaze (= looked at him when he was looking at her ) .
stare
a long direct look, especially in an unfriendly way or in a way that shows you are surprised:
• He was watching me with a cold stare. • My cheery ‘Good Morning’ was met with a blank stare (= a stare which shows no emotion ) .
glare
an angry look at someone:
• She gave him a hostile glare as he entered the room.
frown
a confused or annoyed look:
• ‘Anyway,’ she said with a frown, ‘I don’t see how there could be a connection.’, look
to turn your eyes towards someone or something, so that you can see them:
• You should never look directly at the sun. • After a while, he turned and looked at me.
have/take a look
especially spoken to look at something quickly, especially in order to find or check something:
• I’ll have a look in my desk. • Take a look at this!
glance
to look at someone or something for a short time and then look quickly away:
• Damien glanced nervously at his watch.
peek/peep
( also take a peek/peep ) to look quickly at something. Used especially when you are not supposed to look, or when you are looking through a small gap:
• The door was open so he peeked inside. • Katy peeped at her birthday present on the table.
peer
to look very carefully, especially because you cannot see well:
• Kenji was peering at the screen.
glare
to look at someone in an angry way:
• She glared at me as I got up to leave.
stare
to look at someone or something for a long time without moving your eyes:
• It’s rude to stare. • She stared straight into the camera.
gaze
to look at someone or something for a long time, often without realizing that you are doing it:
• She gazed out of the window. • He lay on his bed gazing at the ceiling.
gape
to look at someone or something for a long time, usually with your mouth open, because you are very shocked or surprised:
• People gaped at him with wide-open mouths.
regard
formal to look at someone or something, especially in a particular way:
• He regarded her steadily.
Longman-Thesaurus
3
general::
noun act of looking at/considering sth ADJ. little | brief, cursory, quick | leisurely | careful, close Take a closer look at it. | furtive I had a furtive look in her bag when her back was turned. | overall We need to take an overall look at the situation. | nostalgic The book takes a nostalgic look at the golden age of the railway. | critical, hard, honest, radical, realistic, serious, uncompromising You should take a long, hard look at your reasons for wanting to join the army. | humorous, light-hearted The book takes a humorous look at parenthood. | fresh I think it's time to take a fresh look at our sales techniques. VERB + LOOK have, take | get Did you get a look at his new car? | sneak, steal PREP. ~ at I managed to steal a look at the exam paper. | ~ in/into She couldn't resist a quick look in the mirror. | ~ out of Have a look out of the window and see who's at the door. | ~ through I had a brief look through the report before the meeting. | ~ towards The book concludes with a look towards the future. PHRASES without a backward look She walked out of the door without a backward look. exploring/looking for sth ADJ. good | little, quick VERB + LOOK have PREP. ~ around/round We had a good look around the old town on glazed, unfocused, vacant | wild The man had a wild look in his eyes. | funny, odd, strange He gave me a funny look. | curious, meaningful, puzzled, quizzical, searching, speculative, thoughtful | knowing, shrewd | penetrating, piercing | earnest, intense, intent, steady | bold, challenging | smug, triumphant | mischievous, wicked | amused, wry | innocent | coy, shy | compassionate, loving | grateful | apologetic | appealing, despairing, desperate, frantic | hungry VERB + LOOK have | cast (sb), dart (sb), give (sb), shoot (sb), throw (sb) | get I got a black look from Amy. | exchange They exchanged meaningful looks. PREP. ~ from A withering look from his wife silenced him. | ~ of He darted her a look of contempt. PHRASES a … look in sb's eyes/on sb's face She had a puzzled look in her eyes. He opened the door with a scornful look on his face. | take that ( … ) look off your face Take that smug look off your face before I slap you! sb/sth's appearance ADJ. overall the overall look of the house | professional Use high-quality paper to give your CV a more professional look. | youthful VERB + LOOK have | like I didn't like the look of the salad so I didn't touch it. PREP. by/from the ~ of sb/sth Joe isn't getting much sleep from the look of him. By the looks of the first day of our holiday. | ~ for I had a look for websites on Egyptian music, but didn't find anything.it, someone's already staying in expression on sb's face ADJ. angry, black, dark, dirty, exasperated, fierce, furious, harsh, irritated, murderous, reproachful, savage, scathing, scornful, severe, sharp, withering She threw him a dirty look. | cold, cool, dry, frosty, steely | disgusted | pained | baleful, forbidding | glum, grim, hangdog | suspicious, wary | cautious | sideways | guilty, sheepish, shifty The guilty look on his face told us all we needed to know. | apprehensive, anxious, doubtful, worried They had worried looks on their faces. | sad | blank, dazed, distant, faraway, this room. | ~ about He still had a youthful look about him. | ~ of a fabric with the look of silk looks: sb's attractiveness ADJ. good | striking | classic He had classic good looks. | boyish, clean-cut, youthful | craggy VERB + LOOK have | lose She's lost her looks. fashion/style ADJ. latest, new | casual | classic | sophisticated | individual VERB + LOOK have | give sb/sth They've given the place a completely new look this year. LOOK + VERB be/come back in (fashion), go out (of fashion) The classic look never goes out of fashion., verb turn your eyes in a particular direction ADV. carefully, closely Look at the machine quite carefully before you buy it. | sharply She looked up at me sharply when I said that. | intently, searchingly | archly | enquiringly, questioningly, quizzically, speculatively | doubtfully, dubiously | expectantly | anxiously, apprehensively | enviously, longingly He looked longingly at the food on the table. | beseechingly, imploringly, pleadingly | reproachfully | disapprovingly | pityingly | reflectively | studiously He was looking studiously down to avoid meeting her eyes. | impassively | blankly, dumbly, uncomprehendingly, unseeingly | across, away, down, over, round, up She looked over to where the others were chatting. VERB + LOOK turn to He turned to look as she came down the stairs. | let sb ‘It's beautiful!’ ‘Oh! Let me look!’ PREP. at What are you looking at? | towards She looked towards the door. PHRASES look and see I'll look and see if I've got any sugar in the cupboard. seem/appear VERB + LOOK make sb/sth You made me look a complete fool! PREP. like an animal that looked like a large hedgehog | to It looks to me as if the company is in real trouble. PHRASES look as if/as though
Oxford Collocations Dictionary