window on the world
1
4.1
- noun
:
ventana al mundo
- My answer was that not everyone here comes off like a racist asshole, and that you only do so, not because you're racist, but because you're so arrogant that you can't see outside of your own narrow little window on the world.
Examples
-
They sought a "window on the world," a speculation about the nature of things, a value system for ordering priorities, and a rationale for choices, but were unable to identify a written document that voiced those ideas.
Academic text (1990) -
"Access to information will be" a window on the world to my students.
Academic text (1990) -
But each has done so from his or her own window on the world.
Academic text (1990) -
His Bible and the Finnish-language newspaper were his sole windows on the world.
Academic text (1990) -
His name is John Logan, Hollywood scriptwriter, a kindred spirit for whom the silver screen is a window on the world.
Academic text (2008) -
They are windows on the world, but not transcriptions of divine address.
Academic text (1995) -
Television provides a window on the world, allowing us to witness events happening in real time.
-
Traveling abroad can be a valuable window on the world, exposing you to new cultures and lifestyles.
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Books can serve as a window on the world, offering insights into different perspectives and experiences.
Synonyms
107
4.2
A way of thinking about a subject or issue
29
4.0
A short look inside something not usually seen
6
3.9
A place that lets you see a large area
3
3.5
A view from high above that shows the whole area
Surface Forms
Morphology
The metaphorical sense is directly built from the literal constituents: 'window' as an opening or means of seeing plus 'on the world' indicating focus or coverage, so the phrase denotes a means of seeing or learning about the world. This figurative use is common and mirrored in many languages (e.g. 'ventana al mundo', 'fenêtre sur le monde'), making the meaning predictable for a B1 learner who knows the component words.
Etymology
Window on the world comes from the simple image of a window that lets you see the world outside. It means something that gives a 'view' or 'insight' into other places and cultures, so people use it for travel, books, or the internet when these things show what is happening in the world.