sight
• noun 1 the faculty or power of seeing. 2 the action or fact of seeing someone or something. 3 the area or distance within which someone can see or something can be seen. 4 a thing that one sees or that can be seen. 5 (sights) places of interest to tourists and other visitors. 6 (a sight) informal a person or thing having a ridiculous or unattractive appearance. 7 (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 a sight. 4 adjust the sight of (a gun or optical instrument). — PHRASES at first sight at the first glimpse; on the first impression. catch sight of glimpse for a moment. 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 close to attaining. in (or within) one’s sights 1 visible 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 informal excellent. out of sight, out of mind proverb you soon forget people or things that are no longer visible or present. raise (or lower) one’s sights increase (or lower) one’s expectations. set one’s sights on hope strongly to achieve or reach. a sight &em;&em; informal considerably: 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. — DERIVATIVES sighter noun sighting noun. — ORIGIN Old English.
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