look through

present singular third person looks through · participle present looking through · participle past looked through · past looked through

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see look, through.

   He looked through the binoculars at the bird.

2. To take a view of the contents of; search in, either with the eyes or by hand.

   I looked through the magazine, but it didn't seem very interesting.

   1 more example

   Airport security looked through her purse and confiscated her nail scissors.

3. archaictransitiveTo penetrate with the understanding; to see through.

   But a man should have serious consideration enough to look through this deception.

   1832, The Christian Offering, page 205

   2 more examples

   I got a small ring to make; when I brought back the finished trinket to him he stared at me with his sparkling eyes, as if he would look through my very soul, and then said: 'Thou art a clever expert fellow […]

   1829, Richard Holcraft, Tales of Humour and Romance: Selected from Popular German Writers

   The village women were bad enough, but this man looked through me, past all the walls I had built to protect myself from pain. I do not think I could have hidden anything from him, even with a lifetime's practice of hiding what I felt.

   2012, Mary Young, Through Love's Eyes, page 3

4. idiomaticoftenTo appear or pretend not to see something or someone who is clearly visible.

   I tried to get Michele's attention at the party, but she looked right through me!