look through

The phrase "look through" can imply examining something quickly or superficially, or deliberately ignoring someone.

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Definition

B2General

(common)To examine or inspect something quickly or superficially.

Example

She looked through the documents before the meeting.
He looked through his old photos to find a specific one.

C1Social Interaction

(idiomatic)To deliberately ignore someone by pretending not to see them.

Example

Whenever he sees his ex-girlfriend, she looks straight through him.
She looked through him as if he didn't exist.

B1General

(common)To peer or gaze through an object or substance that is transparent or semi-transparent.

Example

He looked through the window to see if anyone was outside.
She looked through the glass to admire the view.

Similar

Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "look through":

read through look over check through go through look into skim through look on look for look to look at have a look see through read over look around check out work through go over see into look back look up search up plough through walk through check into look round look down dig into run through see to blow through