Meaning of sight In English

• 0 the ability to see:

  • If your sight is poor, you should not drive a car.

  • The old woman has lost her sight (= has become blind).

• 1 something that is in someone's view:

  • The flowers at the annual flower show were a beautiful sight.

  • You should always keep sight of your bags (= have them where you can see them) while you're at the airport.

  • informal He was a real sight in his old clothes (= he looked messy or silly).

  • The child laughed at the sight of (= when she saw) the new toy.

  • formal The lawyer requested sight of (= to see) the papers.

  • I don't dare let the children out of my sight (= go where I cannot see them) at the park.

  • The police officer was hidden out of sight (= where he could not be seen) behind a tree.

  • The castle came into sight (= started to be able to be seen) as we went round a bend in the road.

  • We're looking for a house which is within sight of (= from which it is possible to see) the mountains.

  • figurative After three years of campaigning, the end is finally in sight (= will happen soon) for Jon.

  • I caught sight of (= saw for a moment) my former teacher while I was out shopping today, but she turned a corner and I lost sight of (= could no longer see) her.

  • "Do you know David Wilson?" "I haven't met him, but I know him by sight (= I recognize him, but do not know him)."

  • informal She hated/loathed the sight of (= hated) her former husband.

  • informal They used to be very good friends, but now they can't bear/stand the sight of (= hate) each other.

  • The question seemed easy at first sight (= when they first saw it), but when the students tried to answer it, they discovered how difficult it was.

  • We spent a week in Rome looking at all the sights.

  • I never buy anything sight unseen.

• 2 a lot; much:

  • Food is a darn/damn sight more expensive than it used to be.

  • UK He's a sight better than he was yesterday.

• 3 a part of a gun or other device through which you look to help you aim at something:

  • Make sure you line up the sights before you fire the gun.

• 4 to suddenly see something or someone:

  • After days at sea, the sailors finally sighted land.

• 5 the ability to see, or the act of seeing something:

  • Machines don’t have a sense of sight.

  • The sight of sick children disturbs her.

  • I know David by sight (= I know what he looks like).

  • Officers arrested the looters on sight (= as soon as they saw them).

• 6 something that is in someone’s view, or the view someone has:

  • [ C ] The finish line was a welcome sight for the runners.

  • [ C ] Don’t let the children out of your sight.

  • [ U ] Keep your bags in sight.

  • [ C ] No sights in Moscow are more historic than the Kremlin.

• 7 a device, esp. on a gun or telescope (= device for looking at objects that are far away), through which you look to help you aim at something:

  • Locate the target in your sight.

• 8 to suddenly see something or someone:

  • After several days at sea, the sailors finally sighted land.

• 9 used to say that an amount of money must be paid within a particular number of days, months, etc. after the document showing the amount owed is received by the person paying:

  • The bill read "30 days after sight."

  • a draft payable at two months after sight

• 10 used to say that an amount of money must be paid as soon as the document showing the amount owed is received by the person paying:

  • The bank draft was marked "at sight".

  • a bill that is payable at sight