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observe - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'observe' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Observe [ v. i.]
- To take notice; to give attention to what one sees or hears; to attend.
- To make a remark; to comment; -- generally with on or upon.
2 . Observe [ v. t.]
- To take notice of by appropriate conduct; to conform one's action or practice to; to keep; to heed; to obey; to comply with; as, to observe rules or commands; to observe civility.
- To be on the watch respecting; to pay attention to; to notice with care; to see; to perceive; to discover; as, to observe an eclipse; to observe the color or fashion of a dress; to observe the movements of an army.
- To express as what has been noticed; to utter as a remark; to say in a casual or incidental way; to remark.

Meaning of 'observe' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . observe [ v]
Meaning (1):
- behave as expected during of holidays or rites
Example in sentence:
  • celebrate Christmas;
  • Keep the commandments;
  • Observe Yom Kippur
Meaning (2):
- show respect towards
Example in sentence:
  • honor your parents!
Meaning (3):
- stick to correctly or closely
Example in sentence:
  • I cannot keep track of all my employees;
  • keep count;
  • The pianist kept time with the metronome
Meaning (4):
- follow with the eyes or the mind
Example in sentence:
  • Keep an eye on the baby, please!;
  • She followed the men with the binoculars;
  • The world is watching Sarajevo
Meaning (5):
- conform one's action or practice to
Example in sentence:
  • keep appointments;
  • she never keeps her promises;
  • We kept to the original conditions of the contract
Meaning (6):
- watch attentively
Example in sentence:
  • Please observe the reaction of these two chemicals
Meaning (7):
- discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
Example in sentence:
  • She detected high levels of lead in her drinking water;
  • We found traces of lead in the paint
Meaning (8):
- make mention of
Example in sentence:
  • She observed that his presentation took up too much time;
  • They noted that it was a fine day to go sailing
Meaning (9):
- observe with care or pay close attention to
Example in sentence:
  • Take note of this chemical reaction

Nearby Words:

obscene obscenities obscenity obscurant obscurantism obscurantist obscuration obscure obscured obscurely

See 'observe' also in:

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