regard
verbEtymology From Middle English regarden, from Old French regarder, reguarder. First attested in late Middle English, circa the early 15th century.
1
To look at; to observe.
- She regarded us warily.
- And They made the Moon, with his face wrinkled with many mountains and worn with a thousand valleys, to regard with pale eyes the games of the small gods, and to watch throughout the resting time of Māna-Yood-Sushāī; to watch, to regard all things, and be silent.1905, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], The Gods of Pegāna, London: [Charles] Elkin Mathews, […], →OCLC:
2
To consider, look upon (something) in a given way etc.
- I always regarded tabloid journalism as a social evil.
- He regards honesty as a duty, but was regarded himself as (being) rather dangerous by the police.
4 more examples
- She regarded her pets as an extension of the family.
- I regard such a way of life with distaste.
- Signior Leonato, truth it is good Signior, / Your neece regards me with an eye of fauour., [Act V, scene iv]
- His associates seem to have regarded him with kindness, which, in spite of their admiration of his writings, was not unmixed with contempt.1857, Thomas Babington Macaulay, “Oliver Goldsmith”, in Biographical and Historical Sketches, New York: D. Appleton and Company, page 49:
3
Archaic To take notice of, pay attention to.
- If much you note him / You ſhall offend him, and extend his Paſſion, / Feed, and regard him not.c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv], page 142, column 1:
- I should not, however, so much mind if this folly [of giving children poetic names] were comprised in that domain of cold gentility, to which affectation usually confines itself. One does not regard seeing Miss Arabella seated at the piano, or her little sister Leonora tottling across the carpet to show her new pink shoes. That is in the usual course of events.1870, Mary Russell Mitford, Our Village: Sketches of Rural Character and Scenery:
4
To face toward.
- Seated on a peninſula which regardeth the maine land ; ſtrong by nature, and fortified by Art : adorned heretofore with magnificent buildings ; and numbered amongſt the paradiſes of the earth, for temperate aire, and delightfull ſituation.1615, George Sandys, A Relation of a Iourney begun An. Dom. 1610, London: Andrew Crooke, published 1637, page 16:
- We pass’d by[…]that exceedingly beautifull scate of my Lord Pembroke, on yᵉ ascent of an hill, flank’d with wood, and reguarding the river ; and so at night to Cadenham, yᵉ mansion of Ed. Hungerford, Esq.1654 June 9, John Evelyn, edited by William Bray, Memoirs, new edition, London: Henry Colburn, published 1827, pages 70–1:
5
To have to do with, to concern.
- That argument does not regard the question.
- My lords, the question thus proposed by your lordships to the Judges must be admitted by all persons to be a question of great importance, as it regards the administration of justice.1821, edited by Curson Hansard, The parliamentary debates, Volume 3, page 809:
6
Obsolete To set store by (something), to hold (someone) in esteem; to consider to have value, to respect.
- Ther was a Iudge in a certayne cite which feared not god nether regarded man.1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Luke xviij:[2]:
- Suppoſe they be in number infinit, Yet being voyd of Martiall diſcipline, All running headlong after greedie ſpoiles: And more regarding gaine than victorie: […] Their careleſſe ſwords ſhal lanch their fellows throats And make vs triumph in their ouerthrow.c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene ii:
- Derived terms
- misregard, regardable, regarder, regardless, self-regard, self-regarding