WAYS OF LOOKING

• look: give attention to what one is seeing; turn the eyes and see in a certain direction.
  Look at that cute baby!
• see: use the power of sight.
  See! Here she comes!
• watch: look at some activity or event; keep one's eyes fixed on something.
  The boys watched television all the afternoon.
• gaze: look at something for a long time, in surprise or admiration.
  She gazed at him in disbelief when he told her the news.
• stare: look at something for a long time with the eyes wide open.
  She was staring into space.
• gawk = gawp: stare impolitely.
  Many people gathered to gawp at the crashed car.
• gape: look at something with one's mouth open.
  She gaped at him in surprise.
• glance: have a quick look at something.
  She glanced at her watch.
• scan: look quickly at something without careful reading.
  He scanned the newspaper over breakfast.
• glare: stare angrily or fiercely.
  She didn't answered, but just glared silently at me.
• peer: look very carefully, as if not able to see well.
  He peered at me over his spectacles.
• peep: look quickly and cautiously.
  He was caught peeping through the keyhole.
• observe: watch carefully.
  The police observed the man entering the bank.
• glimpse: have a passing view of something or someone. Usually used in the expression to catch a glimpse of.
  He could catch a glimpse of the president among the crowd.
• spot: recognize someone suddenly among many others.
  He was spotted by the police boarding a plane for Berlin.
• behold: old use of the verb to see.
  Behold the king!
• view: (technical) look thouroughly; regard, consider.
  That film hasn't been viewed by the censor yet.
• sight: see for the first time.
  The men in the ship finally sighted land.
• leer: look in an unpleasant way, suggesting ill will or lust.
  The man leered at the young girl.
• blink: shut and open the eyes quickly.
  How long can you stare without blinking?
• wink: close one eye briefly, as a signal to somebody.
  He winked at me to show that he was just joking.
• frown: look in a worried or angry way, moving down the eyebrows together.
  He read the telegram, frowning at its contents.
• scowl: frown angrily.
  She was very angry and scowled at him while she talked.
• squint: look with eyes half shut or turned sideways, or through a narrow opening.
  She squinted through the letter-box and saw an envelope.
• peek: look quickly and secretively.
  She found her brother peeking at her diary.
• ogle: look or stare (at a woman) suggesting sexual interest.
  Most women hate being ogled at.
• goggle: look with the eyes wide open in surprise or shock. (old-fashioned)
  People were goggling at her as if she were from another planet.
• eyeball: look directly or closely.
  Francis eyeballed a beautiful woman at the party.
• take a gander at something: (informal) look at something.
• cast an eye on/over something: look at something, examine something.
• browse: look through the pages of a book or magazine; look at the goods in a shop without really wanting to buy anything.
  Sheila spent all the afternoon browsing the boutiques.
• scrutinize: examine thoroughly and carefully.
  John scrutinized the painting at the museum.