observe Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
    notice; detect; find; discover.
    • She detected high levels of lead in her drinking water
    • We found traces of lead in the paint
  2. verb make mention of
    note; mention; remark.
    • She observed that his presentation took up too much time
    • They noted that it was a fine day to go sailing
  3. verb observe with care or pay close attention to
    note; take note.
    • Take note of this chemical reaction
  4. verb watch attentively
    • Please observe the reaction of these two chemicals
  5. verb show respect towards
    respect; abide by; honor; honour.
    • honor your parents!
  6. verb behave as expected during of holidays or rites
    celebrate; keep.
    • Keep the commandments
    • celebrate Christmas
    • Observe Yom Kippur
  7. verb follow with the eyes or the mind
    watch over; follow; watch; keep an eye on.
    • Keep an eye on the baby, please!
    • The world is watching Sarajevo
    • She followed the men with the binoculars
  8. verb stick to correctly or closely
    maintain; keep.
    • The pianist kept time with the metronome
    • keep count
    • I cannot keep track of all my employees
  9. verb conform one's action or practice to
    keep.
    • keep appointments
    • she never keeps her promises
    • We kept to the original conditions of the contract

WordNet

Ob*serve" transitive verb
Etymology
L.observare, observatum; ob (see Ob-) + servare to save, preserve, keep, heed, observe: cf.F. observer. See Serve.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Observed ; present participle & verbal noun Observing
Definitions
  1. To take notice of by appropriate conduct; to conform one's action or practice to; to keep; to heed; to obey; to comply with; as, to observe rules or commands; to observe civility.
    Ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread. Ex. xii. 17.
    He wolde no such cursedness observe. Chaucer.
    Must I budge? Must I observe you? Shak.
    With solemn purpose to observe Immutably his sovereign will. Milton.
  2. To be on the watch respecting; to pay attention to; to notice with care; to see; to perceive; to discover; as, to observe an eclipse; to observe the color or fashion of a dress; to observe the movements of an army.
  3. To express as what has been noticed; to utter as a remark; to say in a casual or incidental way; to remark.
Ob*serve" intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To take notice; to give attention to what one sees or hears; to attend.
  2. To make a remark; to comment; -- generally with on or upon. = to make an observation
    I have barely quoted... without observing upon it. Pope.
    Syn. -- To remark. See Remark.

Webster 1913