¦ noun
1. the faculty or power of seeing.
2. the action or fact of seeing someone or something.
the area or distance within which someone can see or something can be seen.
3. a thing that one sees or that can be seen.
(sights) places of interest to tourists and other visitors.
4. (a sight) informal a person or thing having a ridiculous or unattractive appearance.
5. (also sights) a device on a gun or optical instrument used for assisting in precise aim or observation.
¦ verb
1. manage to see or briefly observe.
2. take aim by looking through the sights of a gun.
3. take a detailed visual measurement with or as with a sight.
adjust the sight of (a gun or optical instrument).
Phrases
at first sight when first seen; from an initial impression.
in sight
1. visible.
2. close to being achieved or realized.
in (or within) sight of
1. so as to see or be seen from.
2. within reach of; close to attaining.
in (or within) one's sights
1. visible, especially through the sights of one's gun.
2. within the scope of one's ambitions or expectations.
lose sight of
1. be no longer able to see.
2. fail to consider, be aware of, or remember.
on (or at) sight as soon as someone or something has been seen.
out of sight
1. not visible.
2. (also outasight) informal extremely good; excellent.
raise (or lower) one's sights become more (or less) ambitious; increase (or lower) one's expectations.
set one's sights on hope strongly to achieve or reach.
a sight -- informal indicating considerable extent: she is a sight cleverer than Sarah.
a sight for sore eyes informal a person or thing that one is extremely pleased or relieved to see.
a sight to behold a person or thing that is particularly impressive.
Derivatives
sighted adjective
sighter noun
sighting noun
Origin
OE (ge)sihth 'something seen', of W. Gmc origin.
Usage
On the confusion of
sight and
site, see
usage at
site.