view

plural views

1. Visual perception.
   1. physicalThe act of seeing or looking at something.

      He changed seats to get a complete view of the stage.

      3 more examples

      Thenceforth I thought thee worth my nearer view.

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

      , Book II, Chapter XXI Objects near our view are apt to be thought greater than those of a larger size are more remote.

      But Richmond […] appeared to lose himself in his own reflections. Some pickled crab, which he had not touched, had been removed with a damson pie; and his sister saw, peeping around the massive silver epergne that almost obscured him from her view, that he had eaten no more than a spoonful of that either.

      1959, Georgette Heyer, chapter 1, in The Unknown Ajax

   2. physicalThe range of vision.

      If there are any rabbits in this park, they keep carefully out of our view.

      1 more example

      The walls of Pluto's palace are in view.

      1697, Virgil, “(please specify the book number)”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC

      Synonyms: sight, eyeshot

   3. physicalSomething to look at, such as scenery.

      the view from a window

      4 more examples

      My flat has a view of a junkyard.

      'Tis distance lends enchantment to the view.

      1799, Thomas Campbell, The Pleasures of Hope

      "Well, there don't seem to be any what you might call views about here," he agreed. […] "I've been through the Willawee Ranges forty miles west of here, and I can guarantee the views there."

      1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 20

      At Bleiken (50 miles), for the first time the Randsfjord comes into view, and a very lovely view it is, of the long winding island-studded lake with wooded shores and small sandy bays.

      1955 July, M. D. Greville, “To the Valdres by Rail”, in Railway Magazine, page 458

      Synonyms: vista

   4. InternetphysicalAn individual viewing of a web page or a video etc. by a user.

      That video got a million views.

      1 more example

      His other song, “Nepal Haseko,” became an anthem during last year's protests, and already has more than 10 million views on YouTube.

      2026 March 11, Chad de Guzman, “Who Is Balendra Shah, the Rapper On Track to Become Nepal’s Next Prime Minister”, in TIME, archived from the original on 11 Mar 2026

      Synonyms: pageview, play

   5. obsoletephysicalAppearance; show; aspect.

      [Graces] which, by the splendor of her view / Dazzled, before we never knew.

      c. 1648, Edmund Waller, The Night-Piece

2. A picture, drawn or painted; a sketch.

   a fine view of Lake George

3. An opinion, judgement, imagination, idea or belief.
   1. A mental image.

      I need more information to get a better view of the situation.

      1 more example

      I have with exact view perused thee, Hector.

      c. 1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene v]

   2. A way of understanding something, an opinion, a theory.

      Your view on evolution is based on religious doctrines, not on scientific findings.

      2 more examples

      to give a right view of this mistaken part of liberty

      1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], chapter 2, in An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC, book I, page 21

      There hasn’t been much polling data on consumer views of gene-edited foods, because they are still so new.

      2019 May 30, Karen Weintraub, “Crispr gene-editing will change the way Americans eat – here's what's coming”, in The Guardian

      Synonyms: conclusion, mind, take, award, censure, choice, opinion, conclusion

   3. A point of view.

      From my view that is a stupid proposition.

      2 more examples

      I think I have fairly broad views on the whole.

      “I believe deep inside everyone's heart is an underlying loneliness,” he says. Humanity longs for another species with comparable intelligence. AGI, in his view, isn’t just a profit engine but a companion on our civilizational journey.

      2025 October 14, Catherine Thorbecke, “China’s AI Dragons Must Survive ‘Involution’ to Conquer the World”, in Bloomberg, Bloomberg L.P.

   4. An intention or prospect.

      He smuggled a knife into prison with a view to using it as a weapon.

      2 more examples

      No man ever sets himself about anything but upon some view or other which serves him for a reason for what he does

      a. 1705, John Locke, “Of the Conduct of the Understanding”, in Posthumous Works of Mr. John Locke: […], London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], published 1706, →OCLC

      With this view, they made a Guy Faux, or dummy figure of a boy, dressed in coat and cap; such as might in a poor light be mistaken for a living figure.

      1903, Henry Kelsall Aspinall, Birkenhead and Its Surroundings, page 116

4. computingA virtual or logical table composed of the result set of a query in relational databases.
5. computingThe part of a computer program which is visible to the user and can be interacted with.
6. A wake.

present singular third person views · participle present viewing · participle past viewed · past viewed

1. transitiveTo look at.

   Reporters viewed a private screening of the upcoming film.

   2 more examples

   Where we once sent love letters in a sealed envelope, or stuck photographs of our children in a family album, now such private material is despatched to servers and clouds operated by people we don't know and will never meet. Perhaps we assume that our name, address and search preferences will be viewed by some unseen pair of corporate eyes, probably not human, and don't mind that much.

   2013 June 14, Jonathan Freedland, “Obama's once hip brand is now tainted”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 1, page 18

   Within hours, the post circulated widely. As of Tuesday night, more than 111,000 people had viewed the video, with nearly 1,500 comments from people offering condolences, support and help.

   2026 September 9, Tess Kenny, “Stolen ashes returned after car taken with 15-year-old son’s remains inside”, in Chicago Tribune

2. transitiveTo regard in a stated way.

   I view it as a serious breach of trust.