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Glite Dictionary
🛡️ Protect someone ⚠️ Be careful
to look out

to look out

153 1.6
Watch for danger or trouble
  • phrasal verb
  • /lʊk aʊt/
translation icon : tener cuidado
  • Shouldn't you be looking out for your tow truck?

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Examples

Synonyms

to watch
vsto look out
∞ 1.0

To be careful and pay attention to possible danger

has identical meaning but is expressed as a different common phrase
to pay attention
vsto look out
∞ 1.6

To focus on someone or something and notice carefully

is vigilance for danger rather than general mental focus
to watch out
vsto look out
  • Informal
582 3.0

To be careful to avoid danger or trouble

has identical meaning but uses a different common phrase
to keep an eye on
vsto look out
  • Informal
408 2.4

To watch someone or something carefully to make sure nothing bad happens

is broad vigilance rather than active continuous supervision
to look out for
vsto look out
291 3.0

Watch carefully to notice danger or help someone

is personal vigilance to avoid danger rather than protecting others
to beware
vsto look out
136 4.1

Be careful and watch for danger

is general vigilance rather than a direct warning to be careful
to keep an eye out
vsto look out
  • Informal
134 3.2

Watch carefully for someone or something

is general vigilance rather than active searching for a target
to watch one's back
vsto look out
  • Informal
104 6.8

Be careful about people who might try to harm you

is general vigilance for danger rather than focus on personal threats from others
to keep one's eyes open
vsto look out
97 3.8

Watch carefully for danger or a chance

is general vigilance rather than a casual brief glance
to watch it
vsto look out
  • Informal
85 5.6

Be careful to avoid danger or upsetting someone

is the same caution idea but given as a brief spoken warning
on the lookout for
vsto look out
47 3.4

Watching carefully to find someone or something

is general careful watching rather than an active search
to take notice
vsto look out
42 3.5

To see and pay attention to something

is active vigilance aimed at avoiding harm rather than neutral observation
to keep watch
vsto look out
30 3.1

To stay alert and watch for danger or trouble

is general caution rather than formal supervised observation
to stay alert
vsto look out
28 3.4

To watch carefully so you notice danger or changes

is general carefulness rather than a brief instruction to be vigilant
on guard
vsto look out
27 3.5

Alert and ready to act if danger or problems appear

is a simple call to be careful rather than formal preparedness
to keep one's eyes peeled
vsto look out
  • Informal
16 4.6

Watch carefully for something important or dangerous

is general vigilance rather than focused search for one thing
to take heed
vsto look out
  • Formal
11 6.2

Pay careful attention to advice or warnings

is watchfulness for danger rather than listening to advice
to stand watch
vsto look out
  • Jargon
10 3.4

To stay awake and guard people or a place

is similar but covers general personal vigilance rather than assigned duty
to keep a close watch
vsto look out
8 3.0

Look at a person or thing very carefully for a while to notice problems

is general vigilance rather than intense continuous monitoring
to keep one's ears open
vsto look out
  • Informal
4 3.7

Stay alert to hear useful news or information

is broader vigilance not limited to listening
to keep guard
vsto look out
2 3.1

To stay and watch to protect people or a place

is general vigilance rather than an assigned protective duty
to keep an eye peeled
vsto look out
  • Informal
1 6.0

Watch carefully for something you expect to see

is general vigilance rather than focused readiness for one item
on one's guard
vsto look out
4.7

Alert and ready to deal with danger or problems

is general vigilance rather than formal readiness to act
on (one's) guard
vsto look out
4.6

Ready and careful about possible danger or problems

is general vigilance expressed informally rather than a formal duty
to keep one's eyes skinned
vsto look out
  • UK
8.2

Watch carefully for danger or a chance to act

is general vigilance rather than intense continuous attention

Antonyms

to ignore
∞ 1.0

Choose not to pay attention to someone or something

to neglect
256 3.8

Fail to care for someone or something you should look after

How Alert

vigilant
66 6.0
to look out
153 1.6
to watch
∞ 1.0
to be careful
979 1.0

Surface Forms

look out infinitive
looked out past
looked out past participle
looking out present participle
looks out third person singular

Morphology

look + out

The sense 'to protect or watch over someone' is plausibly derived from combining 'look' (direct attention/watch) with 'out' (outward vigilance), so a learner who knows the parts can often infer a watching/protective meaning. However, the extension to 'ensure someone gets what they need' or the habitual sense 'take care of' is a pragmatic/idiomatic extension of the literal components and depends on phrasal-verb usage, so it is not fully predictable for a B1 learner.

Etymology

The phrasal verb look out comes from the image of someone standing high and using their eyes to look out over land or sea to spot danger, and they would shout 'look out' to warn others. That's why today look out means 'to be careful' or 'to watch for danger'.