observe

[ uhb-zurv ]
/ əbˈzɜrv /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR observe ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), ob·served, ob·serv·ing.

verb (used without object), ob·served, ob·serv·ing.

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Origin of observe

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English observen, from Middle French observer, from Latin observāre “to watch, regard, attend to,” equivalent to ob-ob- + servāre “to keep, save, pay heed to”

synonym study for observe

2. Observe, witness imply paying strict attention to what one sees or perceives. Both are “continuative” in action. To observe is to mark or be attentive to something seen, heard, etc.; to consider carefully; to watch steadily: to observe the behavior of birds, a person's pronunciation. To witness, formerly to be present when something was happening, has added the idea of having observed with sufficient care to be able to give an account as evidence: to witness an accident.

OTHER WORDS FROM observe

Words nearby observe

observation, observational, observation car, observation post, observatory, observe, observer, obsess, obsessed, obsession, obsessive
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to observe

detect, monitor, inspect, recognize, study, watch, scrutinize, regard, discover, note, examine, mark, witness, view, say, declare, respect, hold, honor, remember

Example sentences from the Web for observe

British Dictionary definitions for observe

observe
/ (əbˈzɜːv) /

verb

(tr; may take a clause as object) to see; perceive; noticewe have observed that you steal
(when tr, may take a clause as object) to watch (something) carefully; pay attention to (something)
to make observations of (something), esp scientific ones
(when intr, usually foll by on or upon; when tr, may take a clause as object) to make a comment or remarkthe speaker observed that times had changed
(tr) to abide by, keep, or follow (a custom, tradition, law, holiday, etc)

Derived forms of observe

observable, adjectiveobservableness or observability, nounobservably, adverb

Word Origin for observe

C14: via Old French from Latin observāre, from ob- to + servāre to watch
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