look through
verb1
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see look, through.
- He looked through the binoculars at the bird.
2
To take a view of the contents of; search in, either with the eyes or by hand.
- I looked through the magazine, but it didn't seem very interesting.
- Airport security looked through her purse and confiscated her nail scissors.
3
Archaic To penetrate with the understanding; to see through.
- I got a small ring to make; when I brought back the finished trinket to him he stared at me with his sparkling eyes, as if he would look through my very soul, and then said: 'Thou art a clever expert fellow […]1829, Richard Holcraft, Tales of Humour and Romance: Selected from Popular German Writers:
- But a man should have serious consideration enough to look through this deception.1832, The Christian Offering, page 205:
1 more example
- The village women were bad enough, but this man looked through me, past all the walls I had built to protect myself from pain. I do not think I could have hidden anything from him, even with a lifetime's practice of hiding what I felt.2012, Mary Young, Through Love's Eyes, page 3:
4
Idiomatic, Often, With "right" To appear or pretend not to see something or someone who is clearly visible.
- I tried to get Michele's attention at the party, but she looked right through me!
- Related terms
- go through, read through, through