to look to
133
3.1
- phrasal verb
:
recurrir a
- We need help and I'm looking to Harvard to give us that.
- look to each other
- look to someone for guidance
- look to leaders
We have had certain people that we look to, that we look up to.
- We have had certain people that we look to, that we look up to.
- And and when people were afraid, they looked to leaders for that.
- You're like the person I would look to to bridge the division.
- And what I tell people is look to paintings, look to photos and look to films.
- For us as children, we look to parents and caregivers for safety.
- So now naturally he will look to the woman to handle it for him.
- Our communities look to us as leaders and change makers.
- You no longer look to other people for yourself, right?
- What we seek is who is seeking, and so we look to others to be seen.
Examples
-
And you guys are looking to me to tell you what to do?
-
The young players should be looking to you for an example.
-
We have had certain people that we look to, that we look up to.
-
And and when people were afraid, they looked to leaders for that.
-
Its residents shared land and resources and looked to their chosen leaders for guidance regarding outside matters.
Academic text (2008) -
My athletes look to me as a brother, a mentor, a father and a leader.
-
Furthermore, state education departments are often looked to by schools as a prime source of professional information.
Academic text (2012) -
Voters confronted with economic duress, social dislocation, and political division look to their elected representatives for help.
Academic text (2012) -
To cover these expenses, medical device startups frequently look to venture capitalists or angel investors for the needed cash.
Academic text (2011) -
When faced with difficult times, many citizens look to their local governments for support.
Synonyms
602
1.0
Trust a person or thing to do what you expect
378
2.8
Go to someone or something for help
309
1.0
Need help or support from something to live
33
2.3
Trust someone or something to do what you need
Antonyms
How Dependent
Surface Forms
Morphology
look + to
The verb 'look' conveys seeking or directing attention and the preposition 'to' marks direction toward a person or source, so a learner who knows both words can often infer the idea of turning to someone for help. However, the shift from literal visual/searching to the abstract sense 'rely on' is a metaphorical extension and not fully predictable without exposure, so it is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Look to comes from the picture of turning your eyes or attention toward someone who can help you. So if you look to a person or thing, you 'rely on' them or 'seek help' from them.