n. [ Back, adv. + sight. ] (Surv.) The reading of the leveling staff in its unchanged position when the leveling instrument has been taken to a new position; a sight directed backwards to a station previously occupied. Cf. Foresight, n., 3. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. a sighting device in an aircraft for aiming bombs. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

A device attached to the breech of a firearm, to guide the eye, in conjunction with the front sight, in taking aim. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Seeing with clearness; acutely perceptive, discerning; as, clear-sighted reason.
Syn. -- clear-eyed, perceptive, percipient, perspicacious, clear-headed. [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

2. having sharp clear vision. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. Acute discernment. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Pref. de- + sight. ] An unsightly object. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of making unsightly; disfigurement. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

To substitute jury masts at whatever desightment or damage in risk. London Times. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having dim sight; lacking perception. -- Dim"-sight`ed*ness, n.

a. Having poor eyesight. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Farsighted and strong-sighted; sharp-sighted. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Sight of the eye; the sense of seeing; view; observation. [ 1913 Webster ]

Josephus sets this down from his own eyesight. Bp. Wilkins. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Seeing to great distance; hence, of good judgment regarding the remote effects of actions; sagacious. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Med.) Hypermetropic. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Quality of bbeing farsighted. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Med.) Hypermetropia. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act or the power of foreseeing; prescience; foreknowledge. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Action in reference to the future; provident care; prudence; wise forethought. [ 1913 Webster ]

This seems an unseasonable foresight. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

A random expense, without plan or foresight. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Surv.) Any sight or reading of the leveling staff, except the backsight; any sight or bearing taken by a compass or theodolite in a forward direction. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Gun.) Muzzle sight. See Fore sight, under Fore, a. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Sagacious; prudent; provident for the future. Bartram. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Foresighted. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A sight{ 9 } attached to a gun, used for aiming it at the target. Same as sight{ 9 }. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Seeing imperfectly; having weak discernment. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Looking upward; supercilious. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. understanding the nature of an event after it has happened; as, hindsight is always clearer than foresight. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

20-20 hindsight,
twenty-twenty hindsight Perfect understanding of an event after it has happened; -- a term usually used with sarcasm in response to criticism of one's decision, implying that the critic is unfairly judging the wisdom of the decision in light of information that was not available when the decision was made. [ PJC ]

n. 1. A sight or view of the interior of anything; a deep inspection or view; introspection; -- frequently used with into. [ 1913 Webster ]

He had an insight into almost all the secrets of state. Jortin. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Power of acute observation and deduction; penetration; discernment; perception. [ 1913 Webster ]

Quickest insight
In all things that to greatest actions lead. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. having intellectual depth; having or showing an exceptional degree of insight{ 2 }; -- of people or their comments.
Syn. -- thoughtful. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. characterized by sympathetic understanding.
Syn. -- discerning, understanding. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

3. having a keen intellect.
Syn. -- prehensile. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. keen insight{ 2 }.
Syn. -- acumen. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. Long-sightedness. Good. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Able to see objects at a great distance; hence, having great foresight; sagacious; farseeing. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Able to see objects distinctly at a distance, but not close at hand; hypermetropic. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The state or condition of being long-sighted; hence, sagacity; shrewdness. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Med.) See Hypermetropia. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Seeing distinctly at short distances only; myopic; shortsighted. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Med.) An eyesight abnormality resulting from the eye's faulty refractive ability, such that one can see only close objects distinctly; the condition of being nearsighted. See Myopic, and Myopia.
Syn. -- myopia, shortsightedness. [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

n. The ability to see in reduced illumination (as in moonlight); night vision.
Syn. -- night vision. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. very good; same as groovy, sense 1. [ informal, 1960's ]
Syn. -- bang-up, bully, cool, corking, cracking, dandy, far-out, great, groovy, keen, neat, nifty, not bad(predicate), outtasight, peachy, psychedelic, slap-up, swell, smashing. [ PJC ]

a. [ Compressed form of out-of-sight. ] same as groovy, sense 1. [ informal, 1960's ]
Syn. -- bang-up, bully, cool, corking, cracking, dandy, far-out, great, groovy, keen, neat, nifty, not bad(predicate), out-of-sight, peachy, psychedelic, slap-up, swell, smashing. [ PJC ]

n. 1. Watchful care; superintendence; general supervision. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An overlooking; an omission; an error. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Escape from an overlooked peril. [ R. ] “His fool-happy oversight.” Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Superintendence; supervision; inspection; overlooking; inadvertence; neglect; mistake; error; omission. [ 1913 Webster ]

. An adjustable piece, pierced with a small hole to peep through in aiming, attached to a rifle or other firearm near the breech; -- distinguished from an open sight. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. Having quick sight or acute discernment; quick to see or to discern. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

--Quick"-sight`ed*ness, n. [1913 Webster]

n. The power of discerning what is not visible to the physical eye, or of foreseeing future events, esp. such as are of a disastrous kind; the capacity of a seer; prophetic vision. [ 1913 Webster ]

He was seized with a fit of second-sight. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

Nor less availed his optic sleight,
And Scottish gift of second-sight. Trumbull. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having the power of second-sight. [ R. ] Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having quick or acute sight; -- used literally and figuratively. -- Sharp`-sight`ed*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Not able to see far; nearsighted; myopic. See Myopic, and Myopia. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Fig.: Not able to look far into futurity; unable to understand things deep; of limited intellect. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Having little regard for the future; heedless. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Short"sight`ed*ly, adv. -- Short"sight`ed*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

Cunning is a kind of shortsightedness. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Sighed p. pr. & vb. n. Sighing. ] [ OE. sighen, si&unr_;en; cf. also OE. siken, AS. sīcan, and OE. sighten, si&unr_;ten, sichten, AS. siccettan; all, perhaps, of imitative origin. ] 1. To inhale a larger quantity of air than usual, and immediately expel it; to make a deep single audible respiration, especially as the result or involuntary expression of fatigue, exhaustion, grief, sorrow, or the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Hence, to lament; to grieve. [ 1913 Webster ]

He sighed deeply in his spirit. Mark viii. 12. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To make a sound like sighing. [ 1913 Webster ]

And the coming wind did roar more loud,
And the sails did sigh like sedge. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

The winter winds are wearily sighing. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ An extraordinary pronunciation of this word as sīth is still heard in England and among the illiterate in the United States. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To exhale (the breath) in sighs. [ 1913 Webster ]

Never man sighed truer breath. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To utter sighs over; to lament or mourn over. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ages to come, and men unborn,
Shall bless her name, and sigh her fate. Pior. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To express by sighs; to utter in or with sighs. [ 1913 Webster ]

They . . . sighed forth proverbs. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The gentle swain . . . sighs back her grief. Hoole. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. sigh; cf. OE. sik. See Sigh, v. i. ] 1. A deep and prolonged audible inspiration or respiration of air, as when fatigued or grieved; the act of sighing. [ 1913 Webster ]

I could drive the boat with my sighs. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Figuratively, a manifestation of grief; a lan&unr_;ent. [ 1913 Webster ]

With their sighs the air
Frequenting, sent from hearts contrite. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Sorrowful; mournful. [ R. ] “Sigh-born thoughts.” De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who sighs. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Uttering sighs; grieving; lamenting. “Sighing millions.” Cowper. -- Sigh"ing*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

n. [ OE. sight, siþt, siht, AS. siht, gesiht, gesihð, gesiehð, gesyhð; 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

A cloud received him out of their sight. Acts. i. 9. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The power of seeing; the faculty of vision, or of perceiving objects by the instrumentality of the eyes. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thy sight is young,
And thou shalt read when mine begin to dazzle. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

O loss of sight, of thee I most complain! Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A spectacle; a view; a show; something worth seeing. [ 1913 Webster ]

Moses said, I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. Ex. iii. 3. [ 1913 Webster ]

They never saw a sight so fair. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. The instrument of seeing; the eye. [ 1913 Webster ]

Why cloud they not their sights? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Inspection; examination; as, a letter intended for the sight of only one person. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Mental view; opinion; judgment; as, in their sight it was harmless. Wake. [ 1913 Webster ]

That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. Luke xvi. 15. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Thier eyes of fire sparking through sights of steel. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. Farrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

11. A great number, quantity, or sum; as, a sight of money. [ Now colloquial ] [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Sight in this last sense was formerly employed in the best usage. “A sight of lawyers.” Latimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

A wonder sight of flowers. Gower. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Vision; view; show; spectacle; representation; exhibition. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To look at through a sight; to see accurately; as, to sight an object, as a star. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. (Mil.) To take aim by a sight. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having sight, or seeing, in a particular manner; -- used in composition; as, long-sighted, short-sighted, quick-sighted, sharp-sighted, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Easily or clearly seen; distinctly visible; perspicuous. [ Obs. ] Testament of Love. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being sightful; perspicuity. [ Obs. ] Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]