Lookout Meaning
/ˈlʊkaʊt/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA vantage point with a view of the surrounding area.
nounA session of watching for an approaching enemy, police, etc.
Sentence Examples
I'm on the lookout for a good introductory book about the Internet.
Now it would be better to keep a sharp lookout for what he might do.
They were on the lookout for a storm.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
From the high tower, the ____ kept a close watch for any enemy soldiers.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The security guard was on the ____ for any suspicious activity around the perimeter of the building today.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree English look outdeverb. English lookout Deverbal from look out.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Gulangyu island has a spectacular crows-nest lookout reached by winding stone staircases. From so high, the Nationalist islands look like lumps of cookie batter dropped onto the smooth harbor, with picturesque sailing junks not far away."
— 1980 April 9 [1980 April 8], Jay Mathews, “Nationalist Islands Sound Siren Call to Mainland Chinese”, in The Washington Post, sourced from XIAMEN (Amoy), China, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 28 Aug 2017, Politics:
"A lack of lookouts was partially responsible for the deaths of two track workers at Margam East Junction in south Wales on July 3, according to an interim report published by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch on December 5. [...] "The absence of a lookout with no involvement in the work activity removed a vital safety barrier," says the report."
— 2019 December 18, Andrew Roden, “Absence of lookouts contributed to Margam deaths”, in Rail, page 20:
"Looking, seeing: search or searching; Looking-for (B.), expectation; Lookout, a careful watching for: an elevated place from which to observe: one engaged in watching. And, you know, she OUGHT to keep enough to pay for her season-ticket; but no, she comes to me about that, and I have to find the money."
"It's a poor lookout," said Mrs. Morel bitterly."
— 1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, chapter 6, in Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […], →OCLC:
""Strickland's painting in my studio."
"Well?"
[…]
"Strickland can't work with anyone else in the studio."
"Damn it all, it's your studio. That's his lookout.""
— 1919, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, “chapter 27”, in The Moon and Sixpence, [New York, N.Y.]: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers […], →OCLC:
"Twenty-one of these vehicles were later converted into bogie brake vans for freight service. [...] The extreme width over the side lookouts is 9 ft."
— 1941 February, Railway Magazine, page 75, untitled paragraph:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
From the high tower, the ____ kept a close watch for any enemy soldiers.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The security guard was on the ____ for any suspicious activity around the perimeter of the building today.