sight: Meaning and Definition of

sight

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