different between look vs beseem

English

Etymology

From Middle English loken, lokien, from Old English l?cian, from Proto-West Germanic *l?k?n. Further origin unknown, no certain cognates outside Germanic. The English word, however, is cognate with Scots luke, luik, leuk (“to look, see”), West Frisian lôkje, loaitsje (“to look”), Middle Dutch loeken (“to look”), German Low German löken and Alemannic German luege. Possibly related to Sanskrit ???? (lok, “to see, behold”) *lewk- (“light”) in the sense of "illuminating" (cf. related word ???? (ruc) "to shine, illuminate")

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /l?k/
  • Rhymes: -?k
  • Homophone: luck (most of Northern England)
• (some Northern En?lish dialects, esp. Bolton) IPA^(key): /lu?k/
  • Rhymes: -u?k
  • Homophone: Luke
• (Liverpool usually) IPA^(key): /lu?x/
  • Rhymes: -u?x

Verb

look (third-person singular simple present looks, present participle looking, simple past and past participle looked)

1. To try to see, to pay attention to with one’s eyes.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:look

   1. (intransitive) As an intransitive verb, often with "at".

      Troponyms: glance; see also Thesaurus:stare
   2. (transitive, colloquial) As a transitive verb, often in the imperative; chiefly takes relative clause as direct object.

2. To appear, to seem.
   • c. 1701–03, Joseph Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c., Dedication:

     THERE is a plea?ure in owning obligations which it is a plea?ure to have received; but ?hould I publi?h any favours done me by your Lord?hip, I am afraid it would look more like vanity, than gratitude.

   • So this was my future home, I thought! […] Backed by towering hills, the but faintly discernible purple line of the French boundary off to the southwest, a sky of palest Gobelin flecked with fat, fleecy little clouds, it in truth looked a dear little city; the city of one's dreams.

   • 2012, Chelsea 6-0 Wolves

     Chelsea's youngsters, who looked lively throughout, then combined for the second goal in the seventh minute. Romeu's shot was saved by Wolves goalkeeper Dorus De Vries but Piazon kept the ball alive and turned it back for an unmarked Bertrand to blast home.

3. (copulative) To give an appearance of being.
4. (intransitive, often with "for") To search for, to try to find.
5. To face or present a view.
   • 1769, Benjamin Blayney (editor), King James Bible, Oxford standard text, Ezekiel, xi, 1,

     Moreover the spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the east gate of the LORD's house, which looketh eastward:

6. To expect or anticipate.
   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Fairie Queene, Book VI, Canto XI, 1750, The Works of Edmund Spenser, Volume 4, page 139,

     Looking each Hour into Death's Mouth to fall,
7. (transitive) To express or manifest by a look.
   • c. 1815, Lord Byron, Waterloo,

     Soft eyes looked love to eyes which spake again,

8. (transitive, often with "to") To make sure of, to see to.
   • 1898, Samuel Butler (translator), Homer, The Odyssey,

     "Look to it yourself, father," answered Telemachus, "for they say you are the wisest counsellor in the world, and that there is no other mortal man who can compare with you. […]

9. (dated, sometimes figuratively) To show oneself in looking.
   • c. 1592, William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, Induction, Scene 2, 1831, George Steevens (editor), The Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare, [Publication of the copy annotated by Steevens], Volume 1, page 254,

     I have […] more feet than shoes, or such shoes as my toes look through the overleather.

10. (transitive, obsolete) To look at; to turn the eyes toward.

    • Serene, smiling, enigmatic, she faced him with no fear whatever showing in her dark eyes. […] She put back a truant curl from her forehead where it had sought egress to the world, and looked him full in the face now, […].

11. (transitive, obsolete) To seek; to search for.
    • c. 1552–1599, Edmund Spenser, unidentified sonnet,

      Looking my love, I go from place to place, / Like a young fawn that late hath lost the hind; / And seek each where, where last I saw her face, / Whose image yet I carry fresh in mind.

12. (transitive, obsolete) To influence, overawe, or subdue by looks or presence.
    • 1692, John Dryden, Cleomenes the Spartan Hero, a Tragedy, Act 3, Scene 1, 1701, The Comedies, Tragedies, and Operas Written by John Dryden, Esq, Volume 2, page 464,

      A Spirit fit to start into an Empire, / And look the World to Law.

    • 1882, Wilkie Collins, Heart and Science

      Ovid might have evaded her entreaties by means of an excuse. But her eyes were irresistible: they looked him into submission in an instant.

14. (baseball) To look at a pitch as a batter without swinging at it.

Usage notes

Though the use of the pronunciation /lu?k/ is now restricted to northern English dialects, it was formerly more widespread. For example, it is mentioned without comment in Walker's Critical Pronouncing Dictionary.

Conjugation

Derived terms

Translations

Interjection

look

1. Pay attention.

Translations

Synonyms

• see, so, well, hey

Noun

look (plural looks)

1. The action of looking; an attempt to see.

2. (often plural) Physical appearance, visual impression.

   • He tried to persuade Cicely to stay away from the ball-room for a fourth dance. […] But she said she must go back, and when they joined the crowd again her partner was haled off with a frightened look to the royal circle, […]

3. A facial expression.

Derived terms

Translations

References

Anagrams

• kolo, kool

Dutch

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch look, from Old Dutch *l?k, from Proto-Germanic *laukaz. Compare Low German look, Look, German Lauch, English leek, Danish løg, Swedish lök. More at leek.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lo?k/
• Hyphenation: look
• Rhymes: -o?k

Noun

look n or m (uncountable)

1. Plants of the genus Allium, especially garlic.
2. Several related herbs, like chive, garlic, shallot and leek.

Derived terms

• lookachtig
• lookallergie
• lookbed
• lookgeur
• looksaus
• looksmaak
• looksoep
• lookstank
• lookworst

-plant species:

• bieslook (“chives”)
• berglook (“keeled garlic”)
• daslook (“bear leek”)
• eslook (“shallot”)
• knoflook (“garlic”)
• kraailook (“crow garlic”)
• lookprei
• look-zonder-look
• moeslook (“field garlic”)

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the main entry.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /lo?k/
• Hyphenation: look
• Rhymes: -o?k

Verb

look

1. singular past indicative of luiken

Etymology 3

Borrowed from English look.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /luk/
• Hyphenation: look
• Rhymes: -uk

Noun

look m (plural looks)

1. A look, (clothing) style, appearance.

Derived terms

• horrorlook

Etymology 4

Related to luiken, cognate with English lock.

Noun

look m (plural loken, diminutive [please provide])

1. A gap, space between barrels or between the strings in rope.
2. A section, division (archaic).

Anagrams

• kool

French

Etymology

Borrowed from English look.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /luk/

Noun

look m (plural looks)

1. A style; appearance; look.

Derived terms

• relooker
• relooking

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from English look.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?luk/, [?luk]

Noun

look m (plural looks)

1. (informal) a look; style, appearance

References

• “look” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.

Tagalog

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /?lo?ok/

Noun

look

1. A bay.

English

Etymology

From Middle English besemen, bisemen; equivalent to be- +? seem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /b??si?m/
• Rhymes: -i?m

Verb

beseem (third-person singular simple present beseems, present participle beseeming, simple past and past participle beseemed)

1. (transitive, intransitive, archaic) With some qualifying word: to appear, seem, look.
2. (transitive, intransitive, archaic) Without any qualifying word: to be appropriate or creditable.
   • c. 1591, William Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part 1, Act IV, Scene 7,^[1]

     Give me their bodies, that I may bear them hence

     And give them burial as beseems their worth.

   • 1594, Christopher Marlowe, Edward II, London: William Jones,^[2]

     Beseemes it thee to contradict thy king?

   • 1597, Richard Hooker, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, Book 5, in The Works of Mr. Richard Hooker, London: Andrew Crook, 1666, pp. 180-181,^[3]

     Should we hereupon frame a Rule, that what form of speech or behaviour soever is fit for Suiters in a Prince’s Court, the same and no other beseemeth us in our Prayers to Almighty God.

   • 1643, Petition of the Commissioners of the Generall Assembly to the Kings Majesty, Edinburgh,^[4]

     The Nationall Assembly of this Kirk, from which we have our Commission, did promise in their thanksgiving for the many favours expressed in Your Majesties Letter, their best endeavours to keep the people under their charge, in unity and peace, and in loyalty and obedience to Your Majestie and Your Laws, which we confesse is a duty well beseeming the preachers of the Gospel […]

   • 1717, Samuel Croxall (translator), Ovid’s Metamorphoses in Fifteen Books. Translated by the most Eminent Hands, London: Jacob Tonson, Book 6, The Story of Tereus, Procne, and Philomela, p. 202,^[5]

     Her Vest, with Flow’rs of Gold embroider’d o’er,

     With Grief distress’d, the mournful Matron tore,

     And a beseeming Suit of gloomy Sable wore.

   • 1819, Walter Scott, Ivanhoe, Chapter 5,^[6]

     “Lady,” said Cedric, “this beseems not; were further pledge necessary, I myself, offended, and justly offended, as I am, would yet gage my honour for the honour of Ivanhoe.”

Translations