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observe

verb

  1. to watch, notice, inspect, gather information
  2. say, state
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Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /əbˈzɜːv/ / /ɒbˈzɜːv/ / /əbˈzɝv/

noun

Etymology: From Middle French observer, from Old French observer, from Latin observō (“to watch”), from ob- (“before”) + servō (“to keep”), from Proto-Indo-European *ser- (“to guard”). Cognate with Gothic 𐍃𐌰𐍂𐍅𐌰 (sarwa, “weapons, armour”), Old English searu (“device”).

  1. An observation (remark, comment or judgement).

    “It sticks in my mind that he would take it very ill,” says Alan. “But the little man cried to me to run, and indeed I thought it was a good observe, and ran. The last that I saw they were all in a knot upon the beach, like folk that were not agreeing very well together.”

verb

Etymology: From Middle French observer, from Old French observer, from Latin observō (“to watch”), from ob- (“before”) + servō (“to keep”), from Proto-Indo-European *ser- (“to guard”). Cognate with Gothic 𐍃𐌰𐍂𐍅𐌰 (sarwa, “weapons, armour”), Old English searu (“device”).

  1. To notice or view, especially carefully or with attention to detail.

    From this vantage point we can observe the behavior of the animals in their natural habitat.

    She got up before dawn to observe the lunar eclipse.

  2. To follow or obey the custom, practice, or rules (especially of a religion).

    Please observe all posted speed limits.

    Some of them have, in fact, given them a theoretical elaboration which for subtlety, refinement, and elegance need make no apologies to the older economics, and which remains faithful to older theorizing in at least one respect, that the tradition of unintelligibility to the layman is scrupulously observed.

  3. To take note of and celebrate (a holiday or similar occurrence), to keep; to follow (a type of time or calendar reckoning).

    Ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread.

    On Sunday, most of Canada will observe daylight time and spring forward an hour in order to reflect the increasing sunlight.

  4. To comment on something; to make an observation.

    The senator observed that the bill would be detrimental to his constituents.

    Again, I farther obſerve, that as man is a compound being, ſo this renders him capable of ſeveral diſtinct kinds of pleaſure [...]