[look down one’s nose at]{v. phr.}, {informal} To think of asworthless; feel scorn for. •/The banker’s wife has beautiful china cups, andshe looked down her nose at the plastic cups that Mrs. Brown used./ •/Harryhas never had to work, and he looks down his nose at people in business./•/Jerry was the athlete who looked down his nose at the weak student./

[look for]{v.} 1. To think likely; expect. •/We look for John toarrive any day now./ •/The frost killed many oranges, and housewives canlook for an increase in their price./ •/Bob wouldn’t go for a ride with theboys because he was looking for a phone call from Julie./ 2. To try to find;search for; hunt. •/Fred spent all day looking for a job./ •/Mary and Joelooked for the Smiths at the play./ 3. To do things that cause (your owntrouble); make (trouble) for yourself; provoke. •/Joe often gets into fightsbecause he is always looking for trouble./ •/If you say the opposite ofeverything that others say, you are looking for a quarrel./

[look for a needle in a haystack] See: NEEDLE IN A HAY STACK.

[look forward to]{v.} 1. To expect. •/At breakfast, John lookedforward to a difficult day./ 2. To expect with hope or pleasure. •/Frankwas looking forward to that evening’s date./

[look high and low for]{v. phr.} To look everywhere; search all over.•/Everyone has been looking high and low for the lost key but no one couldfind it./

[look-in]{n.}, {informal} A chance or hope. — Usually used with anegative. •/It wasn’t much of a look-in, but it was the only chance they lethim have./ •/Charlie didn’t realize it, but he never had a look-in withBonnie./

[look in on]{v.} To go to see; make a short visit with; make a callon. •/On his way downtown, Jim looked in on his aunt./ •/The doctorlooked in on Mary each day when he went by./

[look in the eye] or [look in the face] {v. phr.} To meet with asteady look; to face bravely or without shame. •/Mary looked the gangster inthe eye, and he turned away without hurting her./ •/John had looked deathin the face many times./ •/We often believe a person who looks us in theeye, but it does not prove he is truthful./ •/U promised Harry to write tohim while I was on vacation, and if I don’t do it, I won’t be able to look himin the eye./

[look into]{v.} To find out the facts about; examine; study; inspect.•/The mayor felt he should look into the decrease of income from parkingmeters./ •/Mr. Jones said he was looking into the possibility of buying ahouse./ Compare: GO INTO(4), SEE ABOUT.

[look like a million dollars]{v. phr.}, {informal} To look welland prosperous; appear healthy and happy and lucky; look pretty and attractive.•/John came back from Florida driving a fine new car, tanned and glowing withhealth. He looked like a million dollars./ •/Dressed in the new formal andin a new hairdo, Betty looked like a million dollars./ Compare: FEEL LIKE AMILLION.

[look like the cat that ate the canary] or [look like the cat thatswallowed the canary] {v. phr.} To seem very self-satisfied; look as ifyou had just had a great success. •/Peter bet on the poorest horse in therace and when it won, he looked like the cat that ate the canary./ •/Whenshe won the prize, she went home looking like the cat that swallowed thecanary./

[look on] or [look upon] {v.} 1. To regard; consider; think of.•/The stuff had always been looked on as a worthless factory waste./•/Until the day Bob made the touchdown, the other boys had looked upon him asrather a sissy./ 2. To be an observer; watch without taking part. •/Fredhad never been able to do more than look on at athletic sports./ •/Thechildren played in the park while their mother looked on./ Compare: SIT IN.

[look oneself]{v. phr.} To appear self-possessed and well; look orseem in full possession of your abilities and in good health; to appear allright or normal. •/Mary had had a long illness, but now she looked quiteherself again./ •/It had been a big night, and Uncle John had been drinkingfreely, but he looked entirely himself after a night’s sleep./ — Often usedin the negative. •/What’s wrong with Larry? He doesn’t look himself./

[lookout] See: ON THE LOOKOUT.

[look out] or [watch out] {v.} 1. To take care; be careful; be onguard. — Usually used as a command or warning. •/"Look out!" John called, asthe car came toward me./ •/"Look out for the train," the sign at therailroad crossing warns./ 2. To be alert or watchful; keep watching. •/Acollector of antique cars asked Frank to look out for a 1906 gas head lamp./Compare: EYE OUT, ON THE WATCH. 3. {informal} To watch or keep (a person orthing) and do what is needed; provide protection and care. — Used with "for".•/Lillian looked out for her sister’s children one afternoon a week./•/Uncle Fred looked out for his brother’s orphan son until the boy wasthrough college./ Compare: LOOK AFTER.

[look out for]{v. phr.} To watch out for; be on the alert. •/Therewere signs along the highway warning drivers to look out for deer crossing./

[look over]{v.} To look at and try to learn something about; look atevery part or piece of or at every one of; examine; inspect; study. •/Ilooked hurriedly over the apples in the basket and took one that lookedgood./ •/Mrs. Jones spent the evening looking over the month’s bills andwriting checks./ •/When a new boy comes to school, the others usually lookhim over rather carefully./ •/We looked over several kinds of new carsbefore deciding./ Compare: ONCE-OVER, SIZE UP.

[look sharp]{v.} To be alert; be very attentive; keep a close watch.•/It pays to look sharp in traffic./ •/The guide told us to look sharpbecause there were rattlesnakes around./

[look small] See: FEEL SMALL.

[look to]{v.} 1. To attend to; get ready for; take care of. •/Planshad been prepared that looked to every possibility./ •/The presidentassigned a man to look to our needs./ 2. To go for help to; depend on.•/The child looks to his mother to cure his hurts./ 3. See: SEE TO.

[look to one’s laurels] To make sure that your reputation is not spoiled;protect your good name; keep your record from being beaten by others. •/Tomwon the broad jump, but he had to look to his laurels./ •/Look to yourlaurels, Joan. Betty says she is going to run against you for headcheerleader./

[look up]{v.} 1. {informal} To improve in future chances; promisemore success. •/The first year was tough, but business looked up afterthat./ 2. To search for; hunt for information about; find. •/It is a goodhabit to look up new words in a dictionary./ 3. To seek and find. •/Whilehe was in Chicago, Henry looked up a friend of college days./

[look upon] See: LOOK ON(1).

[look up to]{v.} To think of (someone) as a good example to copy;honor; respect. •/Mr. Smith had taught for many years, and all the studentslooked up to him./ •/Young children look up to older ones, so olderchildren should be good examples./

[loop] See: KNOCK FOR A LOOP or THROW FOR A LOOP.

[loose] See: AT LOOSE ENDS, CAST OFF or CAST LOOSE, CUT LOOSE, FAST ANDLOOSE, HAVE A SCREW LOOSE, LET LOOSE or SET LOOSE or TURN LOOSE, ON THE LOOSE.