Wiktionary

observe

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See also: observé

English

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Etymology

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From Middle French observer, from Old French observer, from Latin observō (“to watch”), from ob- (“before”) + servō (“to keep”), from Proto-Indo-European *ser- (“to guard”). Cognate with Gothic 𐍃𐌰𐍂𐍅𐌰 (sarwa, “weapons, armour”), Old English searu (“device”).

Pronunciation

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Verb

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observe (third-person singular simple present observes, present participle observing, simple past and past participle observed)

  1. (transitive) To notice or view, especially carefully or with attention to detail.
    From this vantage point we can observe the behavior of the animals in their natural habitat.
    She got up before dawn to observe the lunar eclipse.
  2. (transitive) To follow or obey the custom, practice, or rules (especially of a religion).
    Please observe all posted speed limits.
    • 1958, Jacob Viner, The Long View and the Short, page 112:
      Some of them have, in fact, given them a theoretical elaboration which for subtlety, refinement, and elegance need make no apologies to the older economics, and which remains faithful to older theorizing in at least one respect, that the tradition of unintelligibility to the layman is scrupulously observed.
    • 2011 November 10, Jeremy Wilson, “England Under 21 5 Iceland Under 21 0: match report”, in Telegraph:
      A sell-out crowd of 10,000 then observed perfectly a period of silence before the team revealed their black armbands, complete with stitched-in poppies, for the match. After Fifa’s about-turn, it must have been a frantic few days for the England kit manufacturer. The on-field challenge was altogether more straightforward.
  3. (transitive) To take note of and celebrate (a holiday or similar occurrence), to keep; to follow (a type of time or calendar reckoning).
  4. (intransitive) To comment on something; to make an observation.
    The senator observed that the bill would be detrimental to his constituents.
    • 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter VIII, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:
      Elbows almost touching they leaned at ease, idly reading the almost obliterated lines engraved there. ¶ "I never understood it," she observed, lightly scornful. "What occult meaning has a sun-dial for the spooney? I'm sure I don't want to read riddles in a strange gentleman's optics."

Synonyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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Further reading

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Noun

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observe (plural observes)

  1. (archaic) An observation (remark, comment or judgement).

Anagrams

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French

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Pronunciation

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Verb

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observe

  1. inflection of observer:
    1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
    2. second-person singular imperative

Portuguese

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Verb

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observe

  1. inflection of observar:
    1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
    2. third-person singular imperative

Romanian

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Pronunciation

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Verb

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observe

  1. third-person singular/plural present subjunctive of observa

Spanish

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Verb

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observe

  1. inflection of observar:
    1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
    2. third-person singular imperative
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