区别辨析look、see、watch、observe与witness

look、see、watch、observe与witness这些动词均有“看”之意。

look : 侧重“看”的动作。

  • Look! There's grandma.
    瞧!奶奶在那里。
  • They looked at the picture and laughed.
    他们看了看那幅画,笑了起来。

see : 指看见。

  • Turn the light on so I can see.
    打开灯,这样我才能看见。
  • I can see you!
    “我能看到你!”

watch : 指用眼睛跟随某物,以便对每一个变化、运动等进行观察。

  • I had dinner and watched TV for a couple of hours.
    我吃了饭,然后看了几个小时电视。
  • He spent the entire afternoon watching a cricket match.
    他整个下午都在看一场板球比赛。

observe : 侧重以客观的态度进行观察。

  • The role of scientists is to observe and describe the world, not to try to control it.
    科学家的任务是观察和描述这个世界,而不是试图控制它。
  • He spent a year in the jungle, observing how deforestation is affecting local tribes.
    他在丛林里住了一年,考察滥伐森林对当地部落造成了何种影响。

witness : 指当场看见,亲眼看见。

  • Did anyone witness the attack?
    有人看到那次袭击了吗?
  • They were staying in the capital at the time of the riots and witnessed several street battles.
    暴乱期间他们在首都,目击了好几起巷战。