1
[ verb ] discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of

Examples

"She detected high levels of lead in her drinking water" "We found traces of lead in the paint"

Used in print

(Schubert Ogden, Christ Without Myth....)

The same thing is also evidenced by the extreme `` culture Protestantism '' so often observed to characterize the preaching and teaching of the American churches .

(Cornell H. Mayer, "Radio Emission of the Moon...)

Of the remaining planets , only Mars and Saturn have been observed as radio_sources , and not very much information is available .

Mars has been observed twice at about 3 - cm wave_length , and the intensity of the observed radiation is in reasonable agreement with the thermal radiation which might be predicted on the basis of the known temperature of Mars .

In_spite of this , the very large radio_reflectors and improved amplifying techniques which are now becoming available should make it possible to observe the radio_emission of most of the planets in a_few years .

Steady radiation which was presumably of thermal origin was observed from Venus at 3.15 and 9.4 cm , and from Mars and Jupiter at 3.15 cm in 1956 ( Mayer , McCullough , and Sloanaker , 1958 a , b , c ) , and from Saturn at 3.75 cm in 1957 ( Drake and Ewen , 1958 ) .

2
[ verb ] make mention of

Synonyms

note remark mention

Examples

"She observed that his presentation took up too much time" "They noted that it was a fine day to go sailing"

Used in print

(Edward E. Kelly, S.J., "Christian Unity in England"...)

In this connection , it has been observed that the increasing number of Irish Catholics , priests and laity , in England , while certainly seen as good for Catholicism , is nevertheless a source of embarrassment for some of the more nationalistic English Catholics , especially when these Irishmen offer to remind their Christian brethren of this good .

(James Thurber, "The Future, If Any, of Comedy,"...)

`` You and I have fallen out of literature into politics '' , Moreland observed .

3
[ verb ] observe with care or pay close attention to

Synonyms

note take_note

Examples

"Take note of this chemical reaction"

Used in print

(Edward E. Kelly, S.J., "Christian Unity in England"...)

And it was interesting to observe that B.B.C. . 's television film on Christmas_Eve was The_Bells_of_St._Mary's .

(Nathan Rapport, ""I've Been Here before!"...)

Skeptics may deny the more startling phenomena of dreams as things they have never personally observed , but failure to wonder at their basic mystery is outright avoidance of routine evidence .

(Tristram P. Coffin, "Folklore in the American Twentieth...)

Thus , if we are to observe American folklore in the twentieth century , we will do_well to establish the relationships between folklore , nationalism and imperialism at the outset .

(Christopher Davis, First Family....)

Rachel , observing , would say , `` He has_to rediscover his own capacity .

(Tristram Coffin, Not to the Swift....)

He observed the Florentine vase in the hall , the Renoir painting in the library , as_well_as the long shelves of well-bound volumes ; the pattern of the Oriental rug , the delicate cut-glass chandelier .

4
[ verb ] watch attentively

Examples

"Please observe the reaction of these two chemicals"

Used in print

("Editorials"...)

Capable as their minds may be in some directions , these guardians of the nation 's security are incapable of learning , or even of observing .

(Leon Uris, Mila 8....)

Maybe yes , maybe no , but you can observe everything from the roof of a barrack we are building '' .

(Whit Masterson, Evil Come, Evil Go....)

They had come not to admire but to observe .

5
[ verb ] show respect towards

Examples

"honor your parents!"

Used in print

(Edward Austin Walton, "On Education for the Interior...)

The proper correlation of the art with the academic can be achieved only_if this standard is observed .

Since there are almost no schools in the country offering graduate work in interior_design this rule cannot at_present be observed .

6
[ verb ] celebrate, as of holidays or rites

Synonyms

celebrate keep

Examples

"Keep the commandments" "celebrate Christmas" "Observe Yom Kippur"

Used in print

(Musical America, LXXXI:5...)

On that date the Musicians_Emergency_Fund , organized to furnish employment for musicians unable to obtain engagements during the depression and to provide relief for older musicians who lost their fortunes in the stock_market crash , observed its 30_th anniversary .

7
[ verb ] follow with the eyes or the mind

Examples

"Keep an eye on the baby, please!" "The world is watching Sarajevo" "She followed the men with the binoculars"

Used in print

(James A. Ibers et al., "Proton magnetic resonance...)

This measurement was obtained by W._Blumberg of the University_of_California,Berkeley , by observing the breadth of the free induction decay signal .

8
[ verb ] observe correctly or closely

Synonyms

keep maintain

Examples

"The pianist kept time with the metronome" "keep count" "I cannot keep track of all my employees"

Used in print

(Francis J. Johnston and John E. Willard, "The...)

It was possible to make estimates of the quantum yield by observing the extent of reduction of a uranyl_oxalate actinometer solution illuminated for a known time in a typical reaction cell and making appropriate conversions based on the differences in the absorption_spectra of uranyl_oxalate and of chlorine , and considering the spectral distribution of the light source .

9
[ verb ] conform one's action or practice to

Synonyms

keep

Examples

"keep appointments" "she never keeps her promises" "We kept to the original conditions of the contract"

Related terms

make_good keeping honoring

*