sight, spectacle

sight, spectacle
Both sight and spectacle mean something seen or able to be seen: "We soon caught sight of land." "Palmetto trees on the beach were a lovely spectacle." Spectacle is reserved for a sight that is unusual, such as a curiosity or marvel or some public performance or display. In this sense, it closely resembles the meaning of sights: "Lights on the Eiffel Tower are a spectacle, one of the marvelous sights of Paris." Sight is often used in a derisive or derogatory way (In that coat you are a sight). Spectacle can also be used in a disparaging sense (make a spectacle of oneself).

Dictionary of problem words and expressions. . 1975.

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  • spectacle — spectacleless, adj. spectaclelike, adj. /spek teuh keuhl/, n. 1. anything presented to the sight or view, esp. something of a striking or impressive kind: The stars make a fine spectacle tonight. 2. a public show or display, esp. on a large scale …   Universalium

  • spectacle — spec•ta•cle [[t]ˈspɛk tə kəl[/t]] n. 1) anything presented to the sight or view, esp. something striking or impressive 2) a public show or display, esp. on a large scale 3) spectacles glass 5) 4) Often, spectacles something resembling eyeglasses… …   From formal English to slang

  • spectacle — See sight. See sight, spectacle …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • sight — See sight, spectacle …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • Sight — (s[imac]t), n. [OE. sight, si[thorn]t, siht, AS. siht, gesiht, gesih[eth], gesieh[eth], gesyh[eth]; akin to D. gezicht, G. sicht, gesicht, Dan. sigte, Sw. sigt, from the root of E. see. See {See}, v. t.] 1. The act of seeing; perception of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Sight draft — Sight Sight (s[imac]t), n. [OE. sight, si[thorn]t, siht, AS. siht, gesiht, gesih[eth], gesieh[eth], gesyh[eth]; akin to D. gezicht, G. sicht, gesicht, Dan. sigte, Sw. sigt, from the root of E. see. See {See}, v. t.] 1. The act of seeing;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Spectacle — Spec ta*cle, n. [F., fr. L. spectaculum, fr. spectare to look at, to behold, v. intens. fr. specere. See {Spy}.] 1. Something exhibited to view; usually, something presented to view as extraordinary, or as unusual and worthy of special notice; a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sight — [n1] ability to perceive with eyes afterimage, appearance, apperception, apprehension, eye, eyes, eyeshot, eyesight, field of vision, ken, perception, range of vision, seeing, view, viewing, visibility, vision; concept 629 Ant. blindness sight… …   New thesaurus

  • sight — [sīt] n. [ME siht < OE (ge)siht < base of seon, to SEE1] 1. a) something seen; view b) a remarkable or spectacular view; spectacle c) a thing worth seeing usually used in pl. [the sights of the city] …   English World dictionary

  • sight — adj: payable on presentation see also sight draft at draft Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996 …   Law dictionary

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