looking

Looking is the act of directing one’s gaze toward an object or scene to perceive it visually. It can also mean the act of examining or inspecting something, often with attention or curiosity; and it can refer to the appearance or impression given by a subject (the look of something).

When looking, the eyes move by saccades and fixations, and perception involves attention, contrast, motion, and depth. Looking is not merely seeing; it can be deliberate study or rapid scanning depending on the task, goals, and environment.

Eye contact and looking behavior convey information about attention, interest, authority, or deception. Cultural norms influence how directly and for how long people look at others, and which directions of gaze are considered polite or intimate.

Common phrases include look for, look at, look after, look forward to, and look up. Overlook can mean miss or supervise. Through the looking-glass is an archaic term for a mirror and also a well-known literary motif.

In contemporary use, looking often means viewing content on screens or searching for information on the internet. In film and photography, looking relates to the camera’s point of view and to how viewers are guided to notice particular elements.