cernō

1. Videre and cernere denote seeing, as perceiving by the organ of sight; videre (ἰδεῖν) as perception in general, in opp. to an obstruction of the view, like ὁρᾶν; cernere (κρίνειν) especially as a clear perception, in opp. to a transient or dim view; whereas spectare, intueri, tueri, and contueri, denote looking, as the dwelling of the eyes upon an object; spectare means, quietly to fix the eye upon an object that interests the understanding, and dwell upon it as upon a theatrical representation, like θεᾶσθαι; whereas intueri (from στοχάζομαι), to fix the eye upon something that strikes the fancy or soul, as to contemplate, θεωρεῖν. Cic. Fam. vii. 1. Neque nos qui hæc spectavimus, quidquam novi vidimus. 2. Intueri denotes merely to contemplate attentively; contueri, to gaze upon fixedly, keenly, and with eyes widely opened. 3. Conspicere means to descry, that is, to get sight of an object of one’s self, and generally of an unexpected object; whereas adspicere means to look at, that is, to cast one’s eye upon an object, whether consciously or not. 4. Adspectus has an active meaning, as the looking at; conspectus, a passive meaning, as the sight of, that is, the appearance, often also the field of view, sight [as in to be or come in sight]; obtutus has a neutral sense, as the look. Suet. Tib. 43. Ut adspectu deficientes libidines excitaret; comp. with Cal. 9. Tumultuantes conspectu suo flexit; and with Cic. Orat. iii. 5. Qui vultum ejus cum ei dicendum esset, obtutumque oculorum in cogitando probe nosset. (iv. 305.)