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Entry 15 senses · 3 variants Webster, 1913

Sight

/(sīt)/ · IPA /saɪt/
01 n. The act of seeing; perception of objects by the eye; view; as, to gain sight of land.
  1. 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. 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. 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. 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. 5.
    The instrument of seeing; the eye.
    “Why cloud they not their sights?” — Shak.
  6. 6.
    Inspection; examination; as, a letter intended for the sight of only one person.
  7. 7.
    Mental view; opinion; judgment; as, in their sight it was harmless.
    “That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.” — Luke xvi. 15.
  8. 8.
    A small aperture or optical device through which objects are to be seen, and by which their direction is settled or ascertained; -- used on surveying instruments; as, the sight of a quadrant.
    “Thier eyes of fire sparking through sights of steel.” — Shak.
  9. 9.
    An optical device or 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. A telescope mounted on a weapon, such as a rifle, and used for accurate aiming at distant targets is called a telescopic sight.
  10. 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. 11.
    A great number, quantity, or sum; as, a sight of money.[Now colloquial]
    “A wonder sight of flowers.” — Gower.
Phrases & compounds
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 — the sight nearest the muzzle.
Open sight — A front sight through which the objects aimed at may be seen, in distinction from one that hides the object
Peep 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.
02 v. t. To get sight of; to see; as, to sight land; to sight a wreck.
imp. & p. p. Sighted; p. pr. & vb. n. Sighting
  1. 1.
    To get sight of; to see; as, to sight land; to sight a wreck.
  2. 2.
    To look at through a sight; to see accurately; as, to sight an object, as a star.
  3. 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.
03 v. i. To take aim by a sight.
  1. 1.
    To take aim by a sight.(Mil.)