lookout

plural lookouts · alternative look-out

1. A vantage point with a view of the surrounding area.

   Gulangyu island has a spectacular crows-nest lookout reached by winding stone staircases. From so high, the Nationalist islands look like lumps of cookie batter dropped onto the smooth harbor, with picturesque sailing junks not far away.

   1980 April 9 [1980 April 8], Jay Mathews, “Nationalist Islands Sound Siren Call to Mainland Chinese”, in The Washington Post, sourced from XIAMEN (Amoy), China, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 28 Aug 2017, Politics

2. A session of watching for an approaching enemy, police, etc.

   We kept a lookout all night, but nobody came.

3. A person on watch for approaching enemy, police, danger, etc.

   The raid failed when the lookout noticed the enemy group.

   1 more example

   A lack of lookouts was partially responsible for the deaths of two track workers at Margam East Junction in south Wales on July 3, according to an interim report published by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch on December 5. [...] "The absence of a lookout with no involvement in the work activity removed a vital safety barrier," says the report.

   2019 December 18, Andrew Roden, “Absence of lookouts contributed to Margam deaths”, in Rail, page 20

   Synonyms: lookout man, watchout

4. A subject for observation; a prospect or view.

   1 more example

   Looking, seeing: search or searching; Looking-for (B.), expectation; Lookout, a careful watching for: an elevated place from which to observe: one engaged in watching. And, you know, she OUGHT to keep enough to pay for her season-ticket; but no, she comes to me about that, and I have to find the money." "It's a poor lookout," said Mrs. Morel bitterly.

   1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, chapter 6, in Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […], →OCLC

5. One's perspective, outlook; hence, one's responsibility. (used with a possessive pronoun or a noun in a possessive form).

   Every person's interest is his own lookout.

   1 more example

   "Strickland's painting in my studio." "Well?" […] "Strickland can't work with anyone else in the studio." "Damn it all, it's your studio. That's his lookout."

   1919, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, “chapter 27”, in The Moon and Sixpence, [New York, N.Y.]: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers […], →OCLC

6. An observation window.

   Twenty-one of these vehicles were later converted into bogie brake vans for freight service. [...] The extreme width over the side lookouts is 9 ft.

   1941 February, Railway Magazine, page 75, untitled paragraph

7. businessA joist that extends in cantilever out from the exterior wall (or wall plate) of a building, supporting the roof sheathing and providing a nailing surface for the fascia boards.

   Synonyms: outlooker

1. A census-designated place in Modoc County, California, United States.