leaf through (something)

leaf through (something)

To peruse a book, magazine, or other reading material by casually turning the pages, often without much attention or scrutiny. I leafed through a few fashion magazines while waiting at the doctor's office. I leafed through your proposal, and even at first glance I can tell you that it won't be approved by the board.

See also: leaf, through

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

leaf through

Turn pages, as in browsing or searching for something. For example, There she sat, leafing through the various catalogs. This expression employs leaf in the sense of "turn over the leaves of a book," a usage dating from the mid-1600s.

See also: leaf, through

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

leaf through

v.

To go through some reading material quickly or superficially, turning from page to page, as in searching or browsing: On Sunday mornings, I leaf through the newspaper while eating breakfast.

See also: leaf, through

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.