behold

[ bih-hohld ]

/ bɪˈhoʊld /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR behold ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), be·held, be·hold·ing.

to observe; look at; see.

interjection

look; see: And, behold, three sentries of the King did appear.

Nearby words

Origin of behold

before 900; Middle English beholden, Old English behaldan to keep. See be-, hold¹

SYNONYMS FOR behold

1. regard, gaze upon, view; watch; discern.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR behold ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsbe·hold·a·ble, adjectivebe·hold·er, nounun·be·hold·a·ble, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for beholder

Beauty, in his case at least, really is in the eye of the beholder.
Art on the Tracks|Malcolm Jones|February 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I joined the Marines the week I turned 17, and that led to a few experiences that might qualify as adventure—eye of the beholder.
Daniel Woodrell: How I Write|Noah Charney|September 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST
But be warned, the action here is mostly in the eyes of the beholder.
Thomas H. Cook’s Book Bag: Must Reads on the Writing Life|Thomas H. Cook|August 14, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and we have some very pretty girls here.
Harry Warned Off ‘Fornicating’?|Tom Sykes|November 8, 2011|DAILY BEAST

As you can see, chalak is in the eye of the accuser, er, beholder.
The Insult Behind Obama's U.K. Codename|Asra Q. Nomani|May 24, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Its majestic form, as it towers high above the ordinary works of man, conveys the repose of conscious strength to the beholder.
Getting Acquainted with the Trees|J. Horace McFarland
Few forms of plant life present to the beholder more beautiful characteristics than an Orange tree in full bearing.
Birds and Nature Vol. 9 No. 3 [March 1901]|Various
They were both remarkable-looking men, and such as if once seen would be retained in the memory of the beholder.
Robbery Under Arms|Thomas Alexander Browne, AKA Rolf Boldrewood
It would have been difficult for a beholder to say whether the form before him was not a corpse.
Toilers of the Sea|Victor Hugo
It may be more charming to the beholder, but it is not half so nice to the person herself.
Frulein Schmidt and Mr. Anstruther|Elizabeth von Arnim

British Dictionary definitions for beholder

behold

/ (bɪˈhəʊld) /

verb -holds, -holding or -held (often used in the imperative to draw attention to something) archaic, or literary

to look (at); observe

Derived Formsbeholder, noun

Word Origin for behold

Old English bihealdan; related to Old High German bihaltan, Dutch behouden; see be-, hold

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for beholder

beholder

late 14c., agent noun from behold.

behold

Old English bihaldan (West Saxon behealdan) "give regard to, hold in view," also "to keep hold of, to belong to," from be- + haldan, healdan (see hold). Related: Beheld; beholding. A common West Germanic compound, cf. Old Saxon bihaldan "hold, keep," Old Frisian bihalda, Old High German bihaltan, German behalten, but "[t]he application to watching, looking, is confined to English" [OED].