sight

plural sights · alternative pronunciation spelling sicht

1. uncountableThe sense or faculty by which objects are perceived through the agency of light; the sense by which we see.

   Sight is a precious gift.

   3 more examples

   He is losing his sight and now can barely read.

   Thy sight is young, / And thou shalt read when mine begin to dazzle.

   c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]

   O loſs of ſight, of thee I moſt complain!

   1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 12, line 67

   Synonyms: vision, eyesight, ken, perception, vision

2. countableuncountableAn act, instance, opportunity or possibility of seeing; the perception of objects by the eye; view (see also idiomatic expressions such as in sight, out of sight, catch sight of, etc.)

   to gain sight of land, to lose sight of the aircraft

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   The sight of him in his new uniform made us all proud.

   I need to have sight of the certificate before proceeding.

   And when hee had spoken these things, while they beheld, hee was taken vp, and a cloud receiued him out of their sight.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 1:9

3. countableuncountableSomething seen.

   The sight in front of me seemed somehow familiar.

   Synonyms: view, vision

4. countablein pluraloftenuncountableSomething worth seeing; a spectacle, either good or bad.

   You really look a sight in that ridiculous costume!

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   We went to London and saw all the sights – Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, and so on.

   And Moses saide, I will nowe turne aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 3:3

   They never saw a sight so fair.

   1596, Edmund Spenser, Prothalamion

5. countablein pluraloftenuncountableA device used in aiming a projectile, through which the person aiming looks at the intended target; see also in one's sights.

   He's a really remarkable man and it's very hard to get him in one's sights; […]

   2005, Plato, translated by Lesley Brown, Sophist, page 236d

   Synonyms: peep sight, scope

6. countableuncountableA small aperture through which objects are to be seen, and by which their direction is settled or ascertained.

   the sight of a quadrant

   1 more example

   their eyes of fire sparking through sights of steel

   c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]

7. colloquialcountableuncountablea great deal, a lot; frequently used to intensify a comparative.

   a sight of money

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   This is a darn sight better than what I'm used to at home!

   "If your mother put you in the pit at twelve, it's no reason why I should do the same with my lad." "Twelve! It wor a sight afore that!"

   1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, chapter 2, in Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […], →OCLC

   Synonyms: brimful, load, ton, abundance, battalion, arseload, assload, bellyload

8. countableuncountableIn a drawing, picture, etc., that part of the surface, as of paper or canvas, which is within the frame or the border or margin. In a frame, the open space, the opening.
9. countableobsoleteuncountableThe instrument of seeing; the eye.

   Why cloude they not their ſights perpetually,

   c. 1607–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, [George Wilkins?], The Late, and Much Admired Play, Called Pericles, Prince of Tyre. […], London: […] [William White and Thomas Creede] for Henry Gosson, […], published 1609, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]

10. countableuncountableMental view; opinion; judgment.

    In their sight it was harmless.

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    a very heinous Sin in the Sight of God

    1720, William Wake, Principles of the Christian Religion in a Commentary on the Church Catechism

    That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

    1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 16:15

    Synonyms: determination, mind, view, award, censure, choice, opinion, conclusion

present singular third person sights · participle present sighting · participle past sighted · past sighted · alternative pronunciation spelling sicht

1. transitiveTo see; to get sight of (something); to register visually.

   to sight land from a ship

   1 more example

   I was on my way to the door, but all at once, through the fog in my head, I began to sight one reef that I hadn't paid any attention to afore.

   1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter IV, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC

   1. transitiveTo observe through, or as if through, a sight, to check the elevation, direction, levelness, or other characteristics of, especially when surveying or navigating.

      Next a point of known elevation, preferably one of the triangulation stations, is sighted; the vertical angle is read and the horizontal distance is scaled from the point of the setup on the map to the point sighted.

      1912, John Herbert Farrell, Alfred Joseph Moses, Practical Field Geology, page 30

2. transitiveTo apply sights to; to adjust the sights of.

   to sight a rifle or a cannon

3. intransitivetransitiveTo observe or aim (at something) using a (gun) sight.

   This buck was finally mine. I had spent hours shooting at moving targets with that rifle and there was no way I could miss. I raised my gun and sighted through the scope.

   2010 October 6, Bryce M. Towsley, Gunsmithing Made Easy: Projects for the Home Gunsmith, Skyhorse Publishing Inc., →ISBN

   2 more examples

   Jim braced the gun and sighted, tried to pull the trigger. Beside him a body collapsed, limp. It was Max. A shot had gone through his brain. Jim stared down at him, numb with horror.

   2005 August 2, C. J. Cherryh, The Deep Beyond, Penguin, →ISBN

   So I sighted the deer with my .30—30 and fired at him. The bullet hit about ten yards below the deer. I realized that I had a problem with the gun so I aimed about ten yards above the deer as he was running and he dropped dead on the [spot].

   2009, James Wright, FBI: Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity : an Autobiography, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 27

   Synonyms: aim at, take aim at