see noun [OE. se, see, OF. se, sed, sied, fr. L. sedes a seat, or the kindred sedere to sit. See Sit, and cf. Siege.]

1. A seat; a site; a place where sovereign power is exercised. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Jove laughed on Venus from his sovereign see. Spenser.

2. Specifically:

(a) The seat of episcopal power; a diocese; the jurisdiction of a bishop; as, the see of New York.

(b) The seat of an archbishop; a province or jurisdiction of an archbishop; as, an archiepiscopal see.

(c) The seat, place, or office of the pope, or Roman pontiff; as, the papal see.

(d) The pope or his court at Rome; as, to appeal to the see of Rome.

Apostolic see

See under Apostolic.

See (sē), transitive verb [imperfect Saw (sa̤); past participle Seen (sēn); present participle or verbal noun Seeing.] [OE. seen, sen, seon, AS. seón; akin to OFries. sīa, D. zien, OS. & OHG. sehan, G. sehen, Icel. sjā, Sw. se, Dan. see, Goth. saíhwan, and probably to L. sequi to follow (and so originally meaning, to follow with the eyes). Gr. ἕπεσθαι, Skr. sac. Cf. Sight, Sue to follow.]

1. To perceive by the eye; to have knowledge of the existence and apparent qualities of by the organs of sight; to behold; to descry; to view.

I will now turn aside, and see this great sight. Ex. iii. 3.

2. To perceive by mental vision; to form an idea or conception of; to note with the mind; to observe; to discern; to distinguish; to understand; to comprehend; to ascertain.

Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren. Gen. xxxvii. 14.

Jesus saw that he answered discreetly. Mark xii. 34.

Who’s so gross
That seeth not this palpable device? Shak.

3. To follow with the eyes, or as with the eyes; to watch; to regard attentively; to look after. Shak.

I had a mind to see him out, and therefore did not care for contradicting him. Addison.

4. To have an interview with; especially, to make a call upon; to visit; as, to go to see a friend.

And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death. 1 Sam. xv. 35.

5. To fall in with; to meet or associate with; to have intercourse or communication with; hence, to have knowledge or experience of; as, to see military service.

Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil. Ps. xc. 15.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. John viii. 51.

Improvement in wisdom and prudence by seeing men. Locke.

God you see

or

God him see

or

God me see , etc.),

God keep you (him, me, etc.) in his sight; God protect you. [Obs.] Chaucer.

To see (anything) out

to see (it) to the end; to be present at, work at, or attend, to the end.

To see stars

to see flashes of light, like stars; – sometimes the result of concussion of the head. [Colloq.]

To see (one) through

to help, watch, or guard (one) to the end of a course or an undertaking.

See, intransitive verb

1. To have the power of sight, or of perceiving by the proper organs; to possess or employ the sense of vision; as, he sees distinctly.

Whereas I was blind, now I see. John ix. 25.

2. Figuratively: To have intellectual apprehension; to perceive; to know; to understand; to discern; – often followed by a preposition, as through, or into.

For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. John ix. 39.

Many sagacious persons will find us out, . . . and see through all our fine pretensions. Tillotson.

3. To be attentive; to take care; to give heed; – generally with to; as, to see to the house.

See that ye fall not out by the way. Gen. xlv. 24.

☞ Let me see, Let us see, are used to express consideration, or to introduce the particular consideration of a subject, or some scheme or calculation.

Cassio's a proper man, let me see now,
To get his place. Shak.

☞ See is sometimes used in the imperative for look, or behold.

“See. see! upon the banks of Boyne he stands.” Halifax.

To see about a thing

to pay attention to it; to consider it.

To see on

to look at. [Obs.]

“She was full more blissful on to see.” Chaucer.

To see to

(a) To look at; to behold; to view. [Obs.]

“An altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to” Josh. xxii. 10.

(b) To take care about; to look after; as, to see to a fire.

-- Webster's unabridged 1913