see

To notice something with your eyes.

• I can see the sea.
• She saw a bird outside.
• Have you seen my glasses?

How to use it: see someone/something do something (I saw her open the gate.); see someone/something doing something (We saw a dog running across the field.)

Similar words: notice, spot, observe

Common phrases: see something clearly, see a bird, see through something, can see something

To understand an idea, reason, or situation.

• I see your point.
• Do you see what I mean?
• She finally saw why the plan had failed.

How to use it: see + question word + clause (I see why you're worried.)

Similar words: understand, grasp, realize

Opposites: misunderstand

Common phrases: see the point, see what someone means, see why, i see

To spend time with someone in a romantic relationship.

• Are you seeing anyone?
• They've been seeing each other for months.
• He stopped seeing her last spring.

How to use it: be seeing someone (She's seeing someone from work.)

Similar words: date, go out with

Common phrases: see someone, see each other, start to see someone

To experience an event or situation yourself.

• I've seen worse storms.
• She has seen many changes in her lifetime.
• Our grandparents saw years of war and hunger.

Similar words: experience, witness

Common phrases: see many changes, see better days, see it all, see hard times

You say this before explaining something to someone.

• See, I don't have a car.
• See, the problem is that nobody has a key.
• See, we need everyone's help to finish today.

Similar words: you see, look

Common phrases: see the thing is, see it's because

An area of the Christian Church led by a bishop or archbishop.

• The see includes twenty parishes.
• The bishop visited churches throughout his see.
• The two neighboring sees share a training college.

Similar words: diocese, bishopric

Common phrases: episcopal see, archiepiscopal see, neighboring see

The official position held by a bishop or archbishop.

• The see remained vacant for months.
• He was appointed to the see last year.
• She wrote about the bishops who had held that see.

Similar words: bishopric, episcopate

Common phrases: a vacant see, hold a see, succeed to a see