sight: Meaning and Definition of
sight
Pronunciation: (sīt), [key]
— n.
- the power or faculty of seeing; perception of objects by use of the eyes; vision.
- an act, fact, or instance of seeing.
- one's range of vision on some specific occasion: Land is in sight.
- a view; glimpse.
- mental perception or regard; judgment.
- something seen or worth seeing; spectacle: the sights of London.
- something unusual, surprising, shocking, or distressing: They were a sight after the fight.
- a draft payable at two months after sight.
- presentation of a bill of exchange:a draft payable at two months after sight.
- a showing of goods, esp. gems, held periodically for wholesalers.
- a multitude; great deal: It's a sight better to work than to starve.
- an observation taken with a surveying, navigating, or other instrument to ascertain an exact position or direction.
- any of various mechanical or optical viewing devices, as on a firearm or surveying instrument, for aiding the eye in aiming.
- skill; insight.
- at the first glimpse; at once: It was love at first sight.
- to translate something at sight.
- immediately upon seeing, esp. without referring elsewhere for assurance, further information, etc.:to translate something at sight.
- Com.on presentation:a draft payable at sight.
- to get a glimpse of; espy: We caught sight of the lake below.
- to recognize (a person or thing) seen previously: I know him by sight, but I know nothing about him.
- definitely not: Is that all? Not by a long sight.
- immediately upon seeing: to shoot him on sight; to recognize someone on sight.
- The price is out of sight.
- beyond one's range of vision.
- Informal.beyond reason; exceedingly high:The price is out of sight.
- Slang.(often used interjectionally) fantastic; marvelous:a ceremony so glamorous it was out of sight.
- someone or something whose appearance on the scene is cause for relief or gladness.
- without previous examination: to buy something sight unseen.
—v.t.
- to see, glimpse, notice, or observe: to sight a ship to the north.
- to take a sight or observation of (a stake, coastline, etc.), esp. with surveying or navigating instruments.
- to direct or aim by a sight or sights, as a firearm.
- to provide with sights or adjust the sights of, as a gun.
—v.i.
- to aim or observe through a sight.
- to look carefully in a certain direction.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.