Category:Sight

Sight, n. Etym: [oe. sight, si, siht, as. siht, gesiht, gesih, Gesieh, gesyh; akin to d. gezicht, g. sicht, gesicht, dan. sigte, sw. Sigt, from the root of e. see. See see, v. t.]

1. The act of seeing; perception of objects by the eye; view; as, to Gain sight of land. A cloud received him out of their sight. Acts. i. 9.

2. The power of seeing; the faculty of vision, or of perceiving Objects by the instrumentality of the eyes. Thy sight is young, and thou shalt read when mine begin to dazzle. Shak. O loss of sight, of thee i most complain! Milton.

3. The state of admitting unobstructed vision; visibility; open view; Region which the eye at one time surveys; space through which the Power of vision extends; as, an object within sight.

4. A spectacle; a view; a show; something worth seeing. Moses said, i will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the Bush is not burnt. Ex. iii. 3. They never saw a sight so fair. Spenser.

5. The instrument of seeing; the eye. Why cloud they not their sights shak.

6. Inspection; examination; as, a letter intended for the sight of Only one person.

7. Mental view; opinion; judgment; as, in their sight it was Harmless. Wake. That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight Of god. Luke xvi. 15.

8. A small aperture through which objects are to be seen, and by Which their direction is settled or ascertained; as, the sight of a Quadrant. Thier eyes of fire sparking through sights of steel. Shak.

9. A small piece of metal, fixed or movable, on the breech, muzzle, Center, or trunnion of a gun, or on the breech and the muzzle of a Rifle, pistol, etc., by means of which the eye is guided in aiming. Farrow.

10. In a drawing, picture, etc., that part of the surface, as of Paper or canvas, which is within the frame or the border or margin. In a frame or the like, the open space, the opening.

11. A great number, quantity, or sum; as, a sight of money. [now Colloquial]

Note: sight in this last sense was formerly employed in the best Usage. "a sight of lawyers." Latimer. A wonder sight of flowers. Gower. At sight, as soon as seen, or presented to sight; as, a draft payable At sight: to read greek at sight; to shoot a person at sight. -- front sight (firearms), the sight nearest the muzzle. -- open sight. (firearms) (a) a front sight through which the Objects aimed at may be seen, in distinction from one that hides the Object. (b) a rear sight having an open notch instead of an aperture. -- peep sight, rear sight. See under peep, and rear. -- sight draft, an order, or bill of exchange, directing the payment Of money at sight. -- to take sight, to take aim; to look for the purpose of directing A piece of artillery, or the like.

Syn. -- vision; view; show; spectacle; representation; exhibition.

Sight Sight, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sighted; p. pr. & vb. n. Sighting.]

1. To get sight of; to see; as, to sight land; to sight a wreck. Kane.

2. To look at through a sight; to see accurately; as, to sight an Object, as a star.

3. To apply sights to; to adjust the sights of; also, to give the Proper elevation and direction to by means of a sight; as, to sight a Rifle or a cannon.

Sight Sight, v. i. (mil.)

Defn: to take aim by a sight.