see red

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

red¹ /rɛd/   n., adj., red•der, red•dest. 
n. 

1. Physics a color resembling the color of blood:
   [uncountable] Red was her favorite color.
   [countable] rich, strong reds and deep blues.
2. clothes that are red:
   [uncountable] dressed in red.
3. Government [countable* often: Red] a radical leftist in politics, esp. a communist.

adj. 

4. of the color red.
5. of or indicating a state of financial loss:
   the red column in the ledger.
6. Government [often: Red] politically radical, esp. communist.
7. Government (of hair) the color of copper, brownish orange.
8. (of the face or skin) flushed, esp. from anger, embarrassment, or shame.

Idioms

9. Idioms in the red, operating at a loss or being in debt (opposed to in the black).

red•dish, adj. 
red•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

see¹ /si/   v., saw/sɔ/  seen/sin/  see•ing. 
v. 

1. to view (something) with the eyes;
   look at: [~ + object]
   [not: be + ~-ing] I saw her in the park.
   [~ + object + verb-ing]
   I saw her running in the park.
   [~ + object + root form of verb]
   I saw him shoot the police officer.
2. to have the power of sight:
   [not: be + ~-ing* no object] He can't see; he's been blind from birth.
3. to view, as a spectator:
   [~ + object] I saw a good movie last night.
4. Electronics to scan or view, esp. by electronic means:
   [not: be + ~-ing* ~ + object] When the electronic eye sees you, the door opens automatically.
5. to grasp (things) mentally;
   to understand: [~ + object]
   [not: be + ~-ing] I see your point.
   [~ + clause]
   I see that you meant it; sorry I doubted you.
   [no object]
   Don't you see; we want to help you!
6. to form a mental image of: [~ + object]
   [not: be + ~-ing] I can't see him as president.
   [~ + object + verb-ing]
   I can't see him running things.
7. to imagine or believe that one sees something:
   [~ + object] You must be seeing things; there's nothing here.
8. to be aware of;
   recognize:
   [not: be + ~-ing] to see his mistakes.
9. (used as a polite request to draw the attention of someone to something):
   [no object] See, here it comes.
10. to discover;
    find out: [~ + object]
    [not: be + ~-ing] See who is at the door.
    [no object]
    If you don't believe me, then here, see for yourself.
11. to read or read about: [~ + object]
    [not: be + ~-ing] I saw it in the newspaper.
    [~ + that clause]
    I saw in the newspaper that your store carries these computers.
12. to have knowledge or experience of:
    [~ + object] to see combat.
13. [~ + that clause] to make sure:
    See that the door is locked.
    Compare see to below.
14. to meet and converse with;
    visit:
    [~ + object] Why don't you come and see me?
15. to receive (someone) as a visitor:
    [~ + object] not allowed to see anyone until after the operation.
16. to court or date frequently:
    [~ + object] We've been seeing each other for the last year.
17. to escort or accompany:
    [~ + object] It's late; why don't I see you home.
18. (used with the subject pronouns I and we, or after let and the object pronouns me or us, to indicate a pause) to think;
    consider:
    [no object] Let me see, what was his name? Let's see; does this round peg fit in the square hole?
19. see about, [~ + about + object]
    • to inquire about;
      investigate:
      It's his job to see about what his teachers are doing.
    • Also, see after. to take care of;
      to attend to:
      Let me see about that and I'll call you back.
20. see off, to accompany (someone about to go on a journey) to the place of departure: [~ + off + object]
    We went to the airport to see off my aunt and uncle.
    [~ + object + off]
    to see them off.
21. see out, [~ + object + out] to escort to an outer door:
    He saw her out the door with a smile.
22. see through:
    • [~ + through + object] to figure out the nature of (someone), esp. to detect or discover a lie:
      saw right through his excuses.
    • [~ + object + through] to remain with until completion:
      Don't quit now; let's see this job through.
23. see to, [~ + to + object] to take care of;
    attend to;
    see about:
    I'll see to all the travel arrangements.

Idioms

24. Idioms see red, [Informal.] to become enraged:
    He saw red when he found that he'd have to pay once again for the same repairs.

Usage

Compare the words see and look. The verb look refers to a much more active sense in which the subject uses the eyes, moves them, turns the head, and generally participates more in the action:
I looked at the people rushing by (= I moved my eyes, perhaps even turning my head to observe them).
The verb see is much less active and implies less participation by the subject* with this verb, the image of the object simply strikes the subject's eyes, and the subject does much less:
I saw her standing there (= The image of her standing there simply struck my eyes; I had very little to do with the activity).
Whenever a meaning of a verb implies activity or participation, there is a good chance the progressive aspect ([be + ~-ing] ) may be used:
I was looking at the people rushing by.
I have been seeing her (= dating) for two years.
But when the action of a verb does not imply continuing activity or participation by the subject, the progressive aspect is not used, which is why see so often does not allow the progressive aspect:
I saw her standing there (NOT: I was seeing her...).

see² /si/   n. [countable]

1. Religion the seat, center of authority, or office of a bishop.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

red¹  (red), n. adj., red•der, red•dest. 
n. 

1. Physics any of various colors resembling the color of blood;
   the primary color at one extreme end of the visible spectrum, an effect of light with a wavelength between 610 and 780 nm.
2. something red.
3. Government (often cap.) a radical leftist in politics, esp. a communist.
4. Informal Terms See red light (def. 1).
5. Informal Terms red wine:
   a glass of red.
6. Drugs, Slang Terms Also called red devil, red bird. [Slang.] a capsule of the drug secobarbital, usually red in color.
7. in the red, operating at a loss or being in debt (opposed to in the black):
   The newspaper strike put many businesses in the red.
8. paint the town red. See paint (def. 16).
9. Informal Terms see red, to become very angry;
   become enraged:
   Snobs make her see red.

adj. 
10. of the color red.
11. having distinctive areas or markings of red:
    a red robin.
12. of or indicating a state of financial loss or indebtedness:
    the red column in the ledger.
13. Government radically left politically.
14. Government (often cap.) communist.
15. Physical Anthropology of, pertaining to, or characteristic of North American Indian peoples: no longer in technical use.
• bef. 900; Middle English red, Old English rēad; cognate with German rot, Dutch rood, Old Norse raudhr, Latin rūfus, ruber, Greek erythrós; see rubella, rufescent, erythro-
red′ly, adv. 

red²  (red), v.t., red, red•ding. 

1. Dialect Terms redd¹.

Red  (red), n. 

1. a male or female given name.

red-, 

1. var. of re- before a vowel or h in some words:
   redintegrate.

-red, 

1. a native English suffix, denoting condition, formerly used in the formation of nouns:
   hatred; kindred.

• Middle English -rede, Old English -rǣden

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

see¹  (sē), v., saw, seen, see•ing. 
v.t. 

1. to perceive with the eyes;
   look at.
2. to view;
   visit or attend as a spectator:
   to see a play.
3. Computing to perceive by means of computer vision.
4. Electronics to scan or view, esp. by electronic means:
   The satellite can see the entire southern half of the country.
5. to perceive (things) mentally;
   discern;
   understand:
   to see the point of an argument.
6. to construct a mental image of;
   visualize:
   He still saw his father as he was 25 years ago.
7. to accept or imagine or suppose as acceptable:
   I can't see him as president.
8. to be cognizant of;
   recognize:
   to see the good in others; to see where the mistake is.
9. to foresee:
   He could see war ahead.
10. to ascertain, learn, or find out:
    See who is at the door.
11. to have knowledge or experience of:
    to see service in the foreign corps.
12. to make sure:
    See that the work is done.
13. to meet and converse with:
    Are you seeing her at lunch today?
14. to receive as a visitor:
    The ambassador finally saw him.
15. to visit:
    He's gone to see his aunt.
16. to court, keep company with, or date frequently:
    They've been seeing each other for a long time.
17. to provide aid or assistance to;
    take care of:
    He's seeing his brother through college.
18. to attend or escort:
    to see someone home.
19. Games [Cards.] to match (a bet) or match the bet of (a bettor) by staking an equal sum;
    call:
    I'll see your five and raise you five more.
20. to prefer (someone or something) to be as indicated (usually used as a mild oath):
    I'll see you in hell before I sell you this house. He'll see the business fail before he admits he's wrong.
21. to read or read about:
    I saw it in the newspaper.

v.i. 

22. to have the power of sight.
23. Computing to be capable of perceiving by means of computer vision.
24. to understand intellectually or spiritually;
    have insight:
    Philosophy teaches us to see.
25. to give attention or care:
    See, there it goes.
26. to find out;
    make inquiry:
    Go and see for yourself.
27. to consider;
    think;
    deliberate:
    Let me see, how does that song go?
28. to look about;
    observe:
    They heard the noise and came out to see.
29. see about:
    • to investigate;
      inquire about.
    • to turn one's attention to;
      take care of:
      He said he would see about getting the license plates.
30. see after, to attend to;
    take care of:
    Will you please see after my plants while I'm away?
31. see off, to take leave of someone setting out on a journey;
    accompany to the place of departure:
    I went to the airport to see them off.
32. see out, to remain with (a task, project, etc.) until its completion:
    We decided to see it out, even if it meant another year.
33. see through:
    • to penetrate to the true nature of;
      comprehend;
      detect:
      He quickly saw through my story.
    • to stay with to the end or until completion;
      persevere:
      to see a difficult situation through.
34. see to, to take care of;
    be responsible for:
    I'll see to the theater tickets.

• bef. 900; Middle English seen, Old English sēon; cognate with Dutch zien, German sehen, Old Norse sjā, Gothic saihwan

see′a•ble, adj. 
see′a•ble•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. observe, notice, distinguish, discern, behold, regard. See watch. 
• 5. comprehend, penetrate.
• 10. determine.
• 11. know, undergo.
• 18. accompany.

see²  (sē), n. [Eccles.]

1. Religion the seat, center of authority, office, or jurisdiction of a bishop.

• Latin sēdes seat
• Old French se (variant of sie)
• Middle English se(e) 1250–1300

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

red / rɛd/ noun

1. any of a group of colours, such as that of a ripe tomato or fresh blood, that lie at one end of the visible spectrum, next to orange, and are perceived by the eye when light in the approximate wavelength range 740–620 nanometres falls on the retina. Red is the complementary colour of cyan and forms a set of primary colours with blue and green
2. a pigment or dye of or producing these colours
3. red cloth or clothing: dressed in red
4. a red ball in snooker, billiards, etc
5. (in roulette and other gambling games) one of two colours on which players may place even bets, the other being black
6. Also called: inner a red ring on a target, between the blue and the gold, scoring seven points
7. in the red ⇒ in debit; owing money
8. see red ⇒ to become very angry

adjective (redder, reddest)

1. of the colour red
2. reddish in colour or having parts or marks that are reddish: red hair, red deer
3. having the face temporarily suffused with blood, being a sign of anger, shame, etc
4. (of the complexion) rosy; florid
5. (of the eyes) bloodshot
6. (of the hands) stained with blood, as after committing murder
7. bloody or violent: red revolution
8. (of wine) made from black grapes and coloured by their skins
9. denoting the highest degree of urgency in an emergency; used by the police and the army and informally (esp in the phrase red alert)

verb (reds, redding, redded)

1. another word for redden

Etymology: Old English rēad; compare Old High German rōt, Gothic rauths, Latin ruber, Greek eruthros, Sanskrit rohita

ˈredness noun

red / rɛd/ verb (reds, redding, red, redded)

1. (transitive)
   a variant spelling of redd1