Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Related Searches
on Ask.com
Synonyms
Nearby Entries
seem - 5 dictionary results

seem

  [seem]
Use seem in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to appear to be, feel, do, etc.: She seems better this morning.
2. to appear to one's own senses, mind, observation, judgment, etc.: It seems to me that someone is calling.
3. to appear to exist: There seems no need to go now.
4. to appear to be true, probable, or evident: It seems likely to rain.
5. to give the outward appearance of being or to pretend to be: He only seems friendly because he wants you to like him.
Origin:
1150–1200; ME seme < ON sœma to befit, beseem, deriv. of sœmr fitting, seemly; akin to sōmi honor

Synonyms:
4. Seem, appear, look refer to an outward aspect that may or may not be contrary to reality. Seem is applied to something that has an aspect of truth and probability: It seems warmer today. Appear suggests the giving of an impression that may be superficial or illusory: The house appears to be deserted. Look more vividly suggests the use of the eye (literally or figuratively) or the aspect as perceived by the eye: She looked very much frightened.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To seem
seem   (sēm)   
intr.v.   seemed, seem·ing, seems
  1. To give the impression of being; appear: The child seems healthy, but the doctor is concerned.
  2. To appear to one's own opinion or mind: I can't seem to get the story straight.
  3. To appear to be true, probable, or evident: It seems you object to the plan. It seems like rain. He seems to have worked in sales for several years.
  4. To appear to exist: There seems no reason to postpone it.

[Middle English semen, from Old Norse sɶma, to conform to, from sɶmr, fitting; see sem-1 in Indo-European roots.]
Synonyms: These verbs mean to present the appearance of being: seems angry; appears skeptical; looks happy.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Seem

Seem\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Seemed; p. pr. & vb. n. Seeming.] [OE. semen to seem, to become, befit, AS. s?man to satisfy, pacify; akin to Icel. s?ma to honor, to bear with, conform to, s?mr becoming, fit, s?ma to beseem, to befit, sama to beseem, semja to arrange, settle, put right, Goth. samjan to please, and to E. same. The sense is probably due to the adj. seemly. [root]191. See Same, a., and cf. Seemly.] To appear, or to appear to be; to have a show or semblance; to present an appearance; to look; to strike one's apprehension or fancy as being; to be taken as. "It now seemed probable." --Macaulay.

Thou picture of what thou seem'st. --Shak.

All seemed well pleased; all seemed, but were not all. --Milton.

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death. --Prov. xiv. 12.

It seems, it appears; it is understood as true; it is said.

A prince of Italy, it seems, entertained his misstress on a great lake. --Addison.

Syn: To appear; look.

Usage: Seem, Appear. To appear has reference to a thing's being presented to our view; as, the sun appears; to seem is connected with the idea of semblance, and usually implies an inference of our mind as to the probability of a thing's being so; as, a storm seems to be coming. "The story appears to be true," means that the facts, as presented, go to show its truth; "the story seems to be true," means that it has the semblance of being so, and we infer that it is true. "His first and principal care being to appear unto his people such as he would have them be, and to be such as he appeared." --Sir P. Sidney.

Ham. Ay, madam, it is common. Queen. If it be, Why seems it so particular with thee? Ham. Seems, madam! Nay, it is; I know not "seems." --Shak.

Seem

Seem\, v. t. To befit; to beseem. [Obs.] --Spenser.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source
Language Translation for : seem
Spanish: parecer,
German: scheinen,
Japanese: ～に見える
More Translations »

seem 
c.1200, from O.N. soema "to befit, conform to," and soemr "fitting, seemly," from P.Gmc. *som- (cf. O.E. som "agreement, reconciliation," seman "to conciliate"), related to P.Gmc. *samon (see same).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Search another word or see seem on Thesaurus | Reference