Look at versus Look up

Tom · Sun Aug 27, 2006 12:34 pm *Look at versus Look up*

Hello

Please see below:

1- What are you doing looking at the meaning of such a simple word in the dictionary!

2-What are you doing looking up the meaning of such a simple word in the dictionary!

Are both of them correct?

Tom

Yankee · Sun Aug 27, 2006 13:45 pm *Look at versus Look up*

Hi Tom

They're both grammatically correct, but they don't mean precisely the same thing, do they. Wink

Amy

Tom · Sun Aug 27, 2006 14:24 pm *Look at versus Look up*

Thanks, Amy

Looking up: see, read and understand ( I think so)
Looking at : See only (I think so)

Tom

Yankee · Sun Aug 27, 2006 14:55 pm *Look at versus Look up*

Hi Tom

The phrasal verb "look up" means "search for and find" in your sentence.

An additional little technicality: If you're looking up a word, you are in the process of trying to find the word and its definition in the dictionary (present continuous). Therefore it's quite possible that you're not looking at the word or reading the definition yet. Wink

Amy

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