look on as (something happens)

look on as (something happens)

To sit or stand in place and watch passively as something happens nearby. All we could do was look on as our home burned to the ground. In this picture, you can see my mother looking on as I play with my best friend from our old neighborhood.

See also: look, on

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

look (up)on someone or something as something

to view someone or something as something; to consider someone or something to be something. I look upon Todd as a fine and helpful guy. I look on these requests as an annoyance.

See also: look, on

look on someone as something

to view or think of someone as something. I look on you as a very thoughtful person. Mary looked on Jane as a good friend.

See also: look, on

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.