1
vision: It causes blindness or serious loss of vision.
eyesight: He suffered from poor eyesight and could no longer read properly.
2
view: He stood up to get a better view of the blackboard.
sighting: …the sighting of a rare sea bird at Lundy island.
glimpse: They had waited 24 hours to catch a glimpse of their heroine.
sight|ed /sa I t I d/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Sighted people have the ability to see. This word is usually used to contrast people who can see with people who are blind. □ Blind children tend to be more passive in this area of motor development than sighted children.
2 → see also clear-sighted , far-sighted , long-sighted , near-sighted , short-sighted
sight|ing /sa I t I ŋ/ (sightings ) N‑COUNT A sighting of something, especially something unusual or unexpected is an occasion on which it is seen. □ [+ of ] …the sighting of a rare sea bird at Lundy island.
sight|less /sa I tləs/ ADJ Someone who is sightless is blind. [LITERARY ] □ He wiped a tear from his sightless eyes.
sight-read (sight-reads , sight-reading ) The form sight-read is used in the present tense, where it is pronounced /sa I t riːd/, and is the past tense and past participle, pronounced /sa I t red/. VERB Someone who can sight-read can play or sing music from a printed sheet the first time they see it, without practising it beforehand. □ [V ] Symphony musicians cannot necessarily sight-read. [Also V n]
sight|see|ing /sa I tsiː I ŋ/ also sight-seeing N‑UNCOUNT If you go sightseeing or do some sightseeing , you travel around visiting the interesting places that tourists usually visit. □ …a day's sight-seeing in Venice. □ …a sightseeing tour.
sight|seer /sa I tsiːə r / (sightseers ) N‑COUNT A sightseer is someone who is travelling around visiting the interesting places that tourists usually visit. □ …coachloads of sightseers.
sign ◆◆◆ /sa I n/ (signs , signing , signed )
1 N‑COUNT A sign is a mark or shape that always has a particular meaning, for example in mathematics or music. □ Equations are generally written with a two-bar equals sign.
2 N‑COUNT A sign is a movement of your arms, hands, or head which is intended to have a particular meaning. □ They gave Lavalle the thumbs-up sign. □ [+ of ] He made a sign of assent.
3 VERB If you sign , you communicate with someone using sign language. If a programme or performance is signed , someone uses sign language so that deaf people can understand it. □ [be V -ed] All programmes will be either 'signed' or subtitled. [Also V , V n]
4 N‑COUNT A sign is a piece of wood, metal, or plastic with words or pictures on it. Signs give you information about something, or give you a warning or an instruction. □ …a sign saying that the highway was closed because of snow.
5 N‑VAR If there is a sign of something, there is something which shows that it exists or is happening. □ [+ of ] They are prepared to hand back a hundred prisoners of war a day as a sign of good will. □ [+ of ] Your blood would have been checked for any sign of kidney failure.
6 VERB When you sign a document, you write your name on it, usually at the end or in a special space. You do this to indicate that you have written the document, that you agree with what is written, or that you were present as a witness. □ [V n] World leaders are expected to sign a treaty pledging to increase environmental protection.
7 VERB If an organization signs someone or if someone signs for an organization, they sign a contract agreeing to work for that organization for a specified period of time. □ [V n] The Blues' boss planned to sign a big-name striker in January. □ [V + to ] The band then signed to Slash Records. [Also V ] [Also V + for ]
8 N‑COUNT In astrology, a sign or a sign of the zodiac is one of the twelve areas into which the heavens are divided. □ The New Moon takes place in your opposite sign of Libra on the 15th.
9 → see also signing , call sign
10 PHRASE If you say that there is no sign of someone, you mean that they have not yet arrived, although you are expecting them to come. □ The London train was on time, but there was no sign of my Finnish friend.
11 to sign one's own death warrant → see death warrant
▸ sign away PHRASAL VERB If you sign something away , you sign official documents that mean that you no longer own it or have a right to it. □ [V P n] The Duke signed away his inheritance. □ [V n P ] They signed the rights away when they sold their idea to DC Comics.
▸ sign for PHRASAL VERB If you sign for something, you officially state that you have received it, by signing a form or book. □ [V P n] When the postal clerk delivers your order, check the carton before signing for it.
▸ sign in PHRASAL VERB If you sign in , you officially indicate that you have arrived at a hotel or club by signing a book or form. □ [V P ] I signed in and crunched across the gravel to my room.
▸ sign off
1 PHRASAL VERB If someone signs off , they write a final message at the end of a letter or they say a final message at the end of a phone conversation. You can say that people such as entertainers sign off when they finish a broadcast. □ [V P ] O.K. I'll sign off. We'll talk at the beginning of the week.