lookout
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈlʊkaʊt/
Forms: form: lookouts
form: look-out
Etymology: Deverbal from look out.
Senses: examples: text: 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.
ref: 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:
glosses: A vantage point with a view of the surrounding area.
examples: text: We kept a lookout all night, but nobody came.
glosses: A session of watching for an approaching enemy, police, etc.
examples: text: The raid failed when the lookout noticed the enemy group.
text: 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.
ref: 2019 December 18, Andrew Roden, “Absence of lookouts contributed to Margam deaths”, in Rail, page 20:
synonyms: lookout man
watchout
coordinate_terms: watchman
glosses: A person on watch for approaching enemy, police, danger, etc.
examples: text: 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.
ref: 1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, chapter 6, in Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […], →OCLC:
glosses: A subject for observation; a prospect or view.
examples: text: Every person's interest is his own lookout.
text: "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."
ref: 1919, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, “chapter 27”, in The Moon and Sixpence, [New York, N.Y.]: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers […], →OCLC:
glosses: One's perspective, outlook; hence, one's responsibility. (used with a possessive pronoun or a noun in a possessive form).
examples: text: 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.
ref: 1941 February, Railway Magazine, page 75, untitled paragraph:
glosses: An observation window.
topics: business
construction
manufacturing
synonyms: outlooker
glosses: A joist that extends in cantilever out from the exterior wall (or wall plate) of a building, supporting the roof sheathing and providing a nailing surface for the fascia boards.
Synonyms: sentry
surveillance
vigil
watch
Derived terms: be on the lookout
be-on-the-lookout
fire lookout tower
keep a lookout
lookout man
lookout tower
on the lookout