outlook meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

outlook

noun

/ˈaʊtˌlʊk/

Etymology From out- + look.

A place from which something can be viewed.

Perched on the edge of the cliff was a hidden outlook.
This fetched tears from the innocent eyes, those Caſements and out-looks of the tender heart of our Lord Jeſus, vvho beholding the City Jeruſalem vvept over it, […]1666 October 30 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Edward Waterhous[e], “To His Noble Friend and Kinsman, Sr. Edwarde Turno[u]r, Knight; Speaker of the Honorable House of Commons in this Present Parliament”, in A Short Narrative of the Late Dreadful Fire in London: […], London: […] W. G. for Rich[ard] Thrale […], and James Thrale […], published 1667, →OCLC, page 97:

The view from such a place.

Fully air-conditioned and fluorescently lit, it is strikingly decorated and there is a magnificent outlook through the wide windows.1960 December, “Modern lightweight coaches of the Swiss Federal Railways”, in Trains Illustrated, page 745, photo caption:

An attitude or point of view.

He has a positive outlook on life.

Expectation for the future.

The outlook for temperature rises is worrying.

Derived terms: on the outlook

outlook

verb

/ˌaʊtˈlʊk/

Etymology From out- + look.

Archaic, Literary To face or look in an outward direction.

This old man with the ſythe, olde father Tyme they call, / And hir his daughter Trueth, which holdeth yonder Booke, / Whome he out of his rocke hath brought forth to vs all, / From whence this many yeares ſhe durſt not once out looke.1577, Raphaell Holinshed, “Queene Elizabeth”, in The Laste Volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande […], volume II, London: […] for Iohn Hunne, →OCLC, page 1792, column 1:
1610, Gervase Markham, Markhams Maister-peece, or, What Doth a Horse-man Lack? London, Chapter 103 “Certaine speciall Notes to be obserued in buying of a horse,” pp. 204-205, … marke his colour and his shape, that is to say, a comely well proportioned head, with an outlooking eye, good well raised shoulders, and a thicke large breast …

3 more examples

A Towre [...] is, or ought to be [...] mounted with bulwarks, towred with turrets, battailed for out-looking artillerie, enclosed with ditches [...]1622, Samuel Purchas, The Kings Towre and Triumphant Arch of London, London, published 1623, pages 32–33:
[...] would we look at the rooms? Outlooking on the piazza, with a balcony from which we could observe the Festa of to-morrow.1895, Henry van Dyke, “Alpenrosen and Goat’s Milk”, in Little Rivers, New York: Scribner, page 150:
The train stopped: the slow aisle, still interrupted with outlooking, then the descent among faces grave, decorous, and judicial: [...]1932, William Faulkner, chapter 20, in Light in August, [New York, N.Y.]: Harrison Smith & Robert Haas, →OCLC; republished London: Chatto & Windus, 1933, →OCLC, page 460:

Archaic To look at (someone) so long or intently that they look away; to win or prevail over (someone or something).

[...] I drew this gallant head of war, And cull’d these fiery spirits from the world, To outlook conquest and to win renown Even in the jaws of danger and of death.c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:
There made they stand; there euerie eye, fixt on each other, stroue Who should outlooke his mate amaz’d:[1611?], Homer, “Book XI”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., The Iliads of Homer Prince of Poets. […], London: […] Nathaniell Butter, →OCLC; republished as The Iliads of Homer, Prince of Poets, […], new edition, volume I, London: Charles Knight and Co., […], 1843, →OCLC, page 235:

3 more examples

[...] the news of the judgment to come, in the Preachers mouth, will be under an heavy suspicion of fraud and cheat, and in fine, pass but for fictions [...] too weak to outlook a brave glittering temptation:1645, Henry Hammond, XXXI Sermons Preached on Several Occasions, London: Richard Royston, published 1684, Sermon 8, p. 519:
Once or twice he attempted to outlook the Saxon prisoner, but Hereward shrank not beneath his glance [...]1838, Thomas Miller, chapter 37, in Royston Gower, London: W. Nicholson, page 329:
The pain which the king suffered would have softened any ordinary heart; but the murderer was a hard and callous wretch, and his brazen eyes outlooked the king.1911, Henry Gilbert, chapter 11, in King Arthur’s Knights: The Tales Retold for Boys & Girls, Edinburgh & London: T.C. & E.C. Jack, page 299:

Obsolete To be more attractive than (someone or something).

1731, Mary Delany, letter dated 4 October, 1731, in George Paston (ed.), Mrs. Delany (Mary Granville): A Memoir, 1700-1788, London: Grant Richards, 1900, p. 64, Nobody’s equipage outlooked ours except my Lord Lieutenant’s, but in every respect I must say Mrs. Clayton outshines her neighbours …
1793, Hester Piozzi, letter dated 22 May, 1793, in Oswald G. Knapp (ed.), The Intimate Letters of Hester Piozzi and Penelope Pennington, 1788-1821, London: The Bodley Head, 1914, p. 89, … Sally quite outlooked her sister by the bye, and was very finely drest.

1 more example

1862, B. F. Taylor, diary entry dated 5 November, 1862, in E. R. Hutchins (ed.), The War of the Sixties, New York: The Neale Publishing Company, 1912, p. 36, Burnside, handsome, stately, outlooked his chief on horseback as on foot.

Obsolete To inspect throughly; to select.

1689, Charles Cotton, “The Angler’s Ballad” in Poems on Several Occasions, London: Thomas Bassett et al., p. 76, Away to the Brook, All your Tackle out look, Here’s a day that is worth a year’s wishing; See that all things be right, For ’tis a very spight To want tools when a man goes a fishing.

Obsolete To look beyond (something).

[...] to fit minds to so even a temper, that both should round the same circle, and never out-look the Horizon of their reciprocal Interest, is a work altogether impossible.1680, John Yalden, Compendium Politicum, or, The Distempers of Government, London: Robert Clavel, page 54:

Derived terms: outlooker

outlook

noun

Etymology From out + look. Perhaps influenced by Chinese 外表 (literally “outside + surface”) and English look (“appearance”). Same etymology as Cantonese outlook.

Hong Kong, Colloquial, No plural look; appearance

How ignorant you are! Admiring the outlook of a same sex person has nothing to do with gay! Some of my male friends admire Andy Lau's and Leslie Cheung's looks quite a lot, but unfortunately, they are NOT gay, not BI, they are totally STRAIGHT!1996 March 14, Bugs, soc.culture.hongkong.entertainment (Usenet):
Well, first impression strikes. The other half must be somewhat attractive on the outlook to capture you attention ...... how else would you noptice^([sic]) his/her existance?^([sic]) Agree?1996 July 8, JT, soc.culture.hongkong.entertainment (Usenet):

3 more examples

Find some wooden block under the box to separate it with the ground, do the same to the wire if possible. But the wood is another concern then. May be get a concrete brick la if you can accept its outlook.1998 July 10, Felix M.C. Li, hk.rec.audio-visual (Usenet):
If you accept the sound of Emsemble^([sic]) Reference. I am sure you will like Primaddona^([sic]) Gold. The Primaddona^([sic]) Gold is much better than the Reference in every aspect. The only draw back is probably the out-look, some people, including my mother, said it look like a coffin.1998 December 19, and...@my-dejanews.com, hk.rec.audio-visual (Usenet):
Walla-walla was at first nick-named by the European passengers as the engine of the vessel was very noisy. The outlook of the walla-walla (Class 1 motorboat) did not change much in the past decades. The wooden hull, the below-loadline cabin (ie without deck) and the engine in the front part of the cabin were characteristics of these boats.2000 November 28, Choi Kim Lui, “The Development of Motorboat Services in Hong Kong”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name):

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.