see (v.) Copy link Outline I. Of the use of the eyes1. vĭdeo, vīdi, vīsum, 2 (most gen. term)2. vīso, si, sum, 3 (strictly frequent. of video3. cerno, 3, no perf. or sup. in this sense (to distinguish with the eyes; see distinctly)4. aspĭcio, exi, ectum, 3 (to look at; used esp. in calling attention, look you)5. conspĭcio, 36. prospĭcio, 3 (to see from afar)7. conspĭcor, 1 (to get a sight of; with reference to distance)8. specto, 1 (to go to see as a spectator at a theatre, etc.)II. To see with the mind, perceive1. vĭdeo, 2 (either with animo expr. or not)2. intellĭgo, exi, ectum, 3 (to understand, become aware)3. percĭpio, cēpi, ceptum, 3 (to understand thoroughly) • see (v.): I. Of the use of the eyes: 1. vĭdeo, vīdi, vīsum, 2 (most gen. term): in addition to a direct object in the acc. this word is foll. by (a) acc. and inf.: he saw that there was danger, rem in angusto esse vidit, Caes. B. G. 2, 25, fin. ... (b) rel. clause: you s. what fortune attends our side, quae sit rebus fortuna, videtis, Virg. Aen. 2, 350: see'st thou how Soracte stands ..., vides ut ... stet Soracte ..., Hor. Od. 1, 9, 1. (c) by num = to see whether: see whether he have returned, vide num redierit: cf. Quint. 4, 2, 79. (Divisions b, c, are cases of dependent interrogative.) Absol. bene, acute, acriter, videre (to see well, keenly, etc.). Comp. pervĭdeo, 2 (to see clearly: infreq.): to s. clearly with the eyes, oculis p., Hor. S. 1, 3, 25. (For to see to = to look after: v. see to.) 2. vīso, si, sum, 3 (strictly frequent. of video: to look at attentively; also, to go to see): to come for the purpose of seeing (observing), visendi causa venire, Cic. Tusc. 5, 3, 9: see also to visit. 3. cerno, 3, no perf. or sup. in this sense (to distinguish with the eyes; see distinctly): the pupil of the eye, by means of which we s., acies qua cernimus, Cic. N. D. 2, 57, 142: a great cloud of dust was seen, vis magna pulveris cernebatur, Caes. B. C. 2, 26, init. (N.B.--Oculis is frequently joined with cerno; cf. Lucr. 1, 269, quod nequeunt oculis rerum primordia cerni.) 4. aspĭcio, exi, ectum, 3 (to look at; used esp. in calling attention, look you): the Gods s. mortals with just eyes, aspiciunt oculis Superi mortalia justis, Ov. M. 13, 70: s. yon white, or, glittering sky, aspice hoc sublime candens, Enn. in Cic. N. D. 2, 2, 4: v. to look at. 5. conspĭcio, 3: v. to behold. 6. prospĭcio, 3 (to see from afar): my eyes do not s. well, parum prospiciunt oculi, Ter. Ph. 5, 1, 8: to s. Italy from the top of a wave, Italiam summa ab unda p., Virg. Aen. 6, 357: he s.s (from afar) three stags roaming about the beach, tres litore cervos p. errantes, ib. 1, 184. 7. conspĭcor, 1 (to get a sight of; with reference to distance): Valerius saw Tarquinius in the foremost line of the exiles, Valerius conspicatus Tarquinium in prima exsulum acie, Liv. 2, 20, init.: they saw the enemy panic-stricken, hostes perterritos conspicati, Caes. B. G. 2, 27: they saw what was going on in our camp, quae res in nostris castris gererentur conspicati, ib. 2, 26. 8. specto, 1 (to go to see as a spectator at a theatre, etc.): to s. the games, ludos s., Hor. S. 2, 6, 48: to s. the prize-fighters, pugiles s., Suet. Aug. 45, init. Phr.: not to s. so well with the right eye as with the left, dextro oculo non aeque bene uti, Nep. Han. 4: not to be able to be seen (be invisible), expr. by fugit (effugit) aliquid aciem. Cic. Tusc. 1, 22, 50 (opp. cadere in conspectum, to be capable of being seen): to be able neither to s. nor to hear, oculis auribusque captum esse, ib. 5, 40, 117: all were waiting to s. who would be so, etc., expectantibus omnibus, quisnam esset, cf. Plin. 9, 35, 58. II. To see with the mind, perceive: 1. vĭdeo, 2 (either with animo expr. or not): I for my part s. the end, just as plainly as those things which we discern with our (bodily) eyes, quem exitum ego tam v. animo, quam ea quae oculis cernimus, Cic. Fam. 6, 3, init.: he saw that the Aedui were held under the bondage of the Germans, Aeduos in servitute Germanorum teneri videbat, Caes. B. G. 1, 33: to s. the bad points in speaking, with greater accuracy than the good points, v. acutius vitia in dicente quam recta, Cic. de Or. 1, 25, 116. Comp. pervĭdeo, 2 (to s. clearly: rare): id. Fam. 10, 9. 2. intellĭgo, exi, ectum, 3 (to understand, become aware): I saw from your letter that you ..., intellexi ex tuis litteris te ..., ib. 6, 9, 3. In answers, "all right, I s.," may be expr. by intelligo cf. Pl. Ep. 2, 2, 63: Ter. Ph. 2, 3, 93. 3. percĭpio, cēpi, ceptum, 3 (to understand thoroughly): to s. anything in one's mind, aliquid animo p., Cic. de Or. 1, 28, 127, esp. in phr. (rem) perceptam habere: v. to perceive, understand. Miscell. Phr.: he unwillingly saw himself made a sharer in another's crime, invitus cogebatur alieni sceleris particeps fieri, Auct. Dom. 52, 135: to refuse to see anything, oculos ab aliqua re dejicere, Cic. Ph. 1, 1, 1: it was with very painful feelings that I saw you part from me, periniquo patiebar animo, te a me digredi, Cic. Fam. 12, 18: already our age has seen many most glorious victories, jam multas clarissimas victorias aetas nostra vidit, Cic. Mil. 28, 77: O that I may s. that day, when, etc., utinam eum diem videam, quum, etc., id. Att. 16, 11, 1.