viewingn.
/ˈvjuːɪŋ/, U.S. /ˈvjuɪŋ/ 1.
a. The action of observing, seeing, or beholding; inspection or examination; an instance of this.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > death > obsequies > [noun] > viewing of remains
viewing1548
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > [noun] > looking at or beholding
beholdinga1225
considerationc1386
advisementa1393
aspecta1398
especcion14..
viewc1450
contemplationc1500
looking ona1516
viewing1548
eyeing1550
perspectionc1550
theoria1590
conspection1611
onlooking1637
spectation1638
aspection1646
prospecting1677
onlook1800
spectating1942
1548 T. Cooper Bibliotheca Eliotæ (rev. ed.) Inspectio,..a viewynge or consyderyng, a seeyng.
1561 T. Norton tr. J. Calvin Inst. Christian Relig. i. xv. f. 55 The Understandyng mynde, which with earnestly bente and quiete vewyng beholdeth all those thynges that Reason is wonte to discourse uppon.
1593 in Hist. MSS Comm.: 10th Rep.: App. Pt. V: MSS Marquis of Ormonde &c. (1885) 453 in Parl. Papers 1884–5 (C. 4576-I) XLII. 1 A gennerall Assembly houlden..for vewinge of the waste plott of grounde.
1631 Earl of Manchester Contemplatio Mortis 87 Often viewing will make it familiar, and free it from distaste.
1672 W. Penn Let. 15 Oct. in Wks. (1726) I. 45 Such as foolishly think thy Dreams and Impostures worth a viewing.
1706 Descr. Manner using Pocket-microscopes 5 The light of a Candle is likewise good for the viewing of very small Objects.
1786 R. Burns Poems 214 They thought the Moon..Woor by degrees, till her last roon Gaed past their viewin.
1832 J. Shurreef Qanoon-e-Islam xxxiii. 382 The viewing of Unjun and Hazirat are used to ascertain things unknown.
1854 Philos. Mag. Mar. 219 Colourless pictures on the retina, derived from the viewing of objects under low or moderate degrees of light.
1916 Amer. Photogr. Dec. 642 We are told each viewing of a thing makes an impression upon the gray matter of the brain.
1960 Science 23 Sept. 821 (advt.) For the ultimate in precision viewing of intricate, hard-to-find areas.
2013 Daily Tel. 27 Sept. 32/3 (advt.) We will make an early start this morning to get the best viewing of monkeys, vividly coloured birds and the lethargic three-toed sloth.
b. Inspection of a property by a prospective buyer, or of objects to be sold at auction; an instance of this.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > selling > a public sale > [adjective] > relating to auction > viewing of auction items
viewing1804
society > trade and finance > selling > a public sale > [noun] > auction > exhibition of items at auction > instance of
viewing1804
1804 Times 24 Oct. Due notice of the days of viewing will be given in this and other papers; and, in a short time afterwards, will be Sold by Auction.
1861 Hampshire Tel. & Sussex Chron. 30 Mar. 1/5 There will be a private viewing day.., by a limited number of cards only, to be had with catalogues of the Auctioneers.
1968 H. C. Rae Few Small Bones ii. viii. 142 Galbraith, who had hardly to exert himself to locate such a residence, set up a viewing for Lang and his wife.
1974 Country Life 17 Jan. (Suppl.) 25 Sol Villas can..arrange a properly co-ordinated viewing schedule for you.
1987 Trad. Interior Decoration Summer 24/3 Auction houses..encourage people to come in and view the sale (for convenience, many viewings are now on Sundays).
2010 Irish Times 2 Sept. a2/4 I find agencies are quite slow in arranging viewings, which is a surprise.
c. U.S. The action of taking a last look at the body of the deceased before a funeral; an instance of this; (also) the occasion of doing this.
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1842 Brother Jonathan 11 June 169/1 The viewing of the body and the Merry Mourners.
1893 Lancet 9 Sept. 641/1 We have repeatedly urged that this viewing of the body should be made as little repulsive as possible.
1944 Casket & Sunnyside Dec. 31/3 At least during the trying hours of the viewings we had individualized the setting.
1956 Washington Post 10 Feb. 33/7 In addition to the viewing the mass also will be open to all who choose to attend.
1985 J. S. Stephenson Death, Grief, & Mourning vii. 230 A viewing is appropriate when there has been a sudden or unexpected death.
2010 S. F. Duncan & G. Szanto Always kiss the Corpse ii. 20 It wasn't a funeral, it was a viewing for Sandro's friends. To pay their last respects.
d. An occasion when an exhibition, work of art, etc., may be viewed; an opportunity to view something, especially at a time when it is not available to the general public. Cf. earlier private viewing n. at private adj.1, adv., and n. Compounds 2.
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1899 Daily Iowa Capital 25 Sept. 2/1 (advt.) An opportunity to attend this truly recherche Exposition of Fashionable Millinery on one of the Special Viewing Days.
1918 Exhibitors Bull. July 34/1 The President of the Republic, who has requested a viewing of this great picture.
1942 Billboard 10 Jan. 39/2 A historical sight-seeing trip thru the old Ringling winter quarters and a viewing of the old parade wagons and tableaux now stored there.
1975 Momoyama: Japanese Art in Age Grandeur (Metrop. Mus. Art) p. xvii A viewing and handling of the finest of the host's collection of tea caddies, each in its own brocaded bag.
2014 M. Huang Reception Chinese Art 189 A reception and preliminary viewing of the paintings was held at the Chinese Legation in London.
2. The activity of watching television, film, etc.; an instance or period of this; a showing. Also: matter for viewing on television, at the cinema, etc., esp. with reference to quality or kind.
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1933 E. Dale How to appreciate Motion Pictures v. 59 You ought to sit through two viewings of the film.
1937 Times 25 Aug. 13/3 It is too early yet to say that interest in such material will be sustained when the initial novelty of viewing has worn off.
1959 20th Cent. Nov. 335 After a year's viewing the newcomer to television does view rather less than at first.
1976 Morecambe Guardian 7 Dec. 17/1 Look forward to an action-packed viewing at your local cinema this week.
1988 New Scientist 31 Mar. 58/1 Anyone with an interest in the science of war will find that the cassettes make compelling and compulsive viewing.
1994 S. Murphey Bean Blossom Dreams xi. 199 Father and daughter settle in for the year's first viewing of A Christmas Carol.
2012 K. Cole Poison Princess vii. 64 You missed ANTM, which is required viewing.
Compounds
C1. General attributive.
a. In sense 1, as viewing station, viewing conditions, viewing day, etc.
ΚΠ
?a1560 L. Digges Geom. Pract.: Pantometria (1571) i. xxi. sig. Gj If it be lower at the glasse than at the viewing station.
1655 Duchess of Newcastle Philos. & Physical Opinions xcvi. 68 The feeding appetite is stronger than the viewing delight.
a1726 M. Ashley-Cooper tr. Xenophon Cyropædia (1728) II. vi. 137 A Party..put themselves in place under the Viewing-Station.., keeping themselves concealed from the Enemy.
1859 New Monthly Mag. 115 275 It was the best viewing place, commanding full sight of the cathedral body and nave.
1898 Photogr. Times Mar. 104/2 The photographic manipulations are rightly conducted, and the viewing conditions properly arranged.
1935 Times 15 May 13/2 A few weeks ago a similar viewing post was opened in Berlin.
1955 Amer. Motorcycling May 14/2 A touch of comfort is assured by a number of chairs which can be placed about on this sturdy viewing platform.
1972 ‘H. Calvin’ Take Two Popes iii. 23 Ramon could see himself herded into the viewing area.
1999 G. Iles Quiet Game ii. 7 I was asked to accompany them in the viewing room, and I was glad to be able to comfort them.
2012 J. V. Horne Complicated Marriage 111 The last time our paths crossed was..on a special viewing day of the Matisse retrospective.
b. In sense 2, as viewing habits, viewing theatre, viewing figures, etc.
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1940 Chambers's Techn. Dict. 893/1 Viewing room, a small projection theatre in a studio, for viewing rushes and completed films.
1949 Radio Times 15 July 43/1 Automatically raised to viewing position by press button control.
1955 ‘J. Christopher’ Year of Comet i. 5 He knew her viewing habits by now; she alternated between three channels.
1969 J. Elliot Duel i. ii. 36 Cutting rooms and a tiny viewing theatre.
1975 Broadcast 14 July 6/2 BBC viewing hours have also gone up.
1986 Observer 16 Nov. 45/7 No longer do the three networks (ABC, NBC & CBS) command the share of viewing time they once did.
2000 S. Stamp Movie-struck Girls iii. 125 Serials offered their largely female fan base an altogether unique form of viewing pleasure.
2012 Irish Times 14 Dec. b26/1 Last weekend's final saw the lowest viewing figures in the show's six years.
C2.
viewing angle n. the angle at which something (esp. a display screen) is viewed (relative to a level or to a perpendicular axis); the angular distance between the extreme directions from which a display can be viewed without the image appearing distorted or otherwise difficult to make out.
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1934 Sight & Sound Autumn 144/1 Its [sc. a metallic screen's] efficiency falls away sharply, however, at viewing angles of over 25%.
1938 Times 19 Aug. 10/1 Among these [features of a range of television sets] are picture detail, simple operation,..wide viewing angle, and high fidelity in sound reproduction.
1969 Pop. Mech. Dec. 145 This mobile cart for a TV set can be turned to give the best viewing angle, depending on where watchers are seated.
2015 N. C. Muir iPad for Seniors for Dummies (ed. 7) xiv. 254 In-plane switching (IPS) technology lets you hold your iPad at almost any angle (it has a 178-degree viewing angle).
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2016; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
viewingadj.
/ˈvjuːɪŋ/, U.S. /ˈvjuɪŋ/ 1. That views, observes, or inspects. Now somewhat rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > [adjective] > looking at or beholding
viewing1563
beholding1594
intuitive1644
onlookinga1666
contemplative1814
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > [adjective] > looking at or beholding > relating to
viewing1563
spectating1709
watching1902
1563 L. Blundeston in B. Googe Eglogs Epytaphes & Sonettes Pref. sig. B.iiv Into the throng, of all the lookers on Whose vewyng eyes, will wey thy wisdom lesse.
1634 Noble Souldier i. i. sig. B4v Here, as the dearest Iewell of my fame, Lock'd I this parchment from all viewing eyes.
1820 Plough Boy (Albany, N.Y.) 5 Aug. 75/3 The viewing committee ascertain the number of bushels to the acre.
1978 Afr. Arts Jan. 3/1 Huge and appreciative viewing crowds have stood patiently for the chance to enjoy the American Indian exhibition.
2. That watches television, film, etc. Frequently in viewing public.
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1950 College Public Relations Q. Apr. 16/2 We can catch an ever-growing, larger segment of the viewing public.
1958 Spectator 6 June 730/3 It was a great deal better than half a dozen others which the viewing public has taken to its heart.
2014 Daily Mirror (Nexis) 27 June 11 The viewing millions..who simply want to split their sides at the sight of a man in drag falling over and showing his knickers.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2016; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1548
adj.1563