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¹sight

noun \ˈsīt\

: the sense through which a person or animal becomes aware of light, color, etc., by using the eyes : the ability to see

: the act of seeing someone or something

: a position in which someone or something can be seen

Full Definition of SIGHT

: something that is seen : spectacle

a : a thing regarded as worth seeing —usually used in plural <the sights of the city>

b : something ludicrous or disorderly in appearance <you look a sight>

a chiefly dialect : a great number or quantity

b : a good deal : lot <a far sight better> <not by a damn sight>

a : the process, power, or function of seeing; specifically : the physical sense by which light stimuli received by the eye are interpreted by the brain and constructed into a representation of the position, shape, brightness, and usually color of objects in space

b : mental or spiritual perception

c : mental view; specifically : judgment

a : the act of looking at or beholding

b : inspection, perusal

c : view, glimpse

d : an observation to determine direction or position (as by a navigator)

a : a perception of an object by or as if by the eye <never lost sight of the objective>

b : the range of vision <was nowhere in sight>

: presentation of a note or draft to the maker or draftee : demand

a : a device that aids the eye in aiming or in finding the direction of an object

b plural : aspiration <set her sights on a medical career>

— in sight

: at or within a reasonable distance or time

— on sight

: as soon as seen <ordered to shoot on sight>

— out of sight

: beyond comparison

: beyond all expectation or reason

—used as a generalized expression of approval

— sight for sore eyes

: one whose appearance or arrival is an occasion for joy or relief

See sight defined for English-language learners

See sight defined for kids

Origin of SIGHT

Middle English, from Old English gesiht faculty or act of sight, thing seen; akin to Old High German gisiht sight, Old English sēon to see

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to SIGHT

Synonyms: company, presence

Antonyms: ace, bit, dab, dram, driblet, glimmer, handful, hint, lick, little, mite, mouthful, nip, ounce, peanuts, pinch, pittance, scruple, shade, shadow, smidgen (also smidgeon or smidgin or smidge), speck, spot, sprinkle, sprinkling, strain, streak, suspicion, tad, taste, touch, trace

Rhymes with SIGHT

bight, bite, blight, bright, byte, cite, dight, dite, fight, flight, fright, height, hight, kite, knight, krait, kyte, light, lite, might, mite, night, plight, quite, right, rite, site, sleight, slight, smite, spite, sprite, tight, trite, white, wight, wite, wright, write

²sight

verb

: to see (something or someone that is being looked for or that is rarely seen or difficult to see)

Full Definition of SIGHT

transitive verb

: to get or catch sight of <several whales were sighted>

: to look at through or as if through a sight; especially : to test for straightness

: to aim by means of sights

a : to equip with sights

b : to adjust the sights of

intransitive verb

: to take aim

: to look carefully in a particular direction

See sight defined for English-language learners

First Known Use of SIGHT

1602

Related to SIGHT

Synonyms: behold, catch, descry, discern, distinguish, espy, eye, look (at), note, notice, observe, perceive, regard, remark, see, spot, spy, view, witness

³sight

adjective

Definition of SIGHT

: based on recognition or comprehension without previous study <sight translation>

: payable on presentation <a sight draft>

First Known Use of SIGHT

1801

SIGHT Defined for Kids

¹sight

noun \ˈsīt\

Definition of SIGHT for Kids

: the function, process, or power of seeing : the sense by which a person or animal becomes aware of the position, form, and color of objects

: the act of seeing <It was love at first sight.>

: something that is seen : spectacle <The northern lights were an amazing sight.>

: something that is worth seeing <He showed us the sights of the city.>

: something that is peculiar, funny, or messy <You're a sight!>

: the presence of an object within the field of vision <I can't stand the sight of blood.> <She caught sight of an eagle.>

: the distance a person can see <A ship came into sight.>

: a device (as a small metal bead on a gun barrel) that aids the eye in aiming or in finding the direction of an object

²sight

verb

sight·edsight·ing

Definition of SIGHT for Kids

: to get a look at : see <Their dog was sighted in a neighbor's garden.>

: to look at through or as if through a device that aids the eye in aiming or in finding the direction of an object

Medical Dictionary

sight

noun \ˈsīt\

Medical Definition of SIGHT

: something that is seen

: the process, power, or function of seeing; specifically : the one of the five basic physical senses by which light stimuli received by the eye are interpreted by the brain and constructed into a representation of the position, shape, brightness, and usually color of objects in space

a : a perception of an object by the eye b : the range of vision