Is there a phrase for âI cast a glanceâ but as in an accident?
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I want to say
"I accidentally cast a glance at my watch... shoot! It's 10:30"
except I don't want to use the word "accidentally" (or cast for that matter...). Is there a way to maybe combine them with a word that encompasses both, an unintentional seeing of the time?
single-word-requests word-choice word-usage synonyms
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up vote
2
down vote
favorite
I want to say
"I accidentally cast a glance at my watch... shoot! It's 10:30"
except I don't want to use the word "accidentally" (or cast for that matter...). Is there a way to maybe combine them with a word that encompasses both, an unintentional seeing of the time?
single-word-requests word-choice word-usage synonyms
New contributor
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
I want to say
"I accidentally cast a glance at my watch... shoot! It's 10:30"
except I don't want to use the word "accidentally" (or cast for that matter...). Is there a way to maybe combine them with a word that encompasses both, an unintentional seeing of the time?
single-word-requests word-choice word-usage synonyms
New contributor
I want to say
"I accidentally cast a glance at my watch... shoot! It's 10:30"
except I don't want to use the word "accidentally" (or cast for that matter...). Is there a way to maybe combine them with a word that encompasses both, an unintentional seeing of the time?
single-word-requests word-choice word-usage synonyms
single-word-requests word-choice word-usage synonyms
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edited 18 mins ago
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asked 34 mins ago
Joshua Ronis
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3 Answers
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up vote
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My first thought was that you might glimpse your watch:
glimpse
VERB
[WITH OBJECT]
See or perceive briefly or partially.
âÂÂhe glimpsed a figure standing in the shadeâÂÂ
(from the Oxford Dictionaries)
But then I felt that wasn't quite right. What you really did was catch sight of your watch:
catch (or get a) sight of
Glimpse for a moment; suddenly notice.
âÂÂwhen she caught sight of him she smiledâÂÂ
So in your sentence, it would be:
I caught sight of my watch... shoot! It's 10:30!
Thanks! I'll be using that for now.
â Joshua Ronis
19 mins ago
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up vote
2
down vote
If you didn't intend to look, then you probably wouldn't describe what happened with that verb. (Even if that's what happened.)
You could use one of the following phrases instead:
I became aware of the time.
I suddenly realized the time.
I noticed the time on my watch.
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
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One way to do this would be to take yourself out of the subject position. You can make yourself the passive victim of your watch's attention-getting machinations by using the expression catch someone's eye. From MacMillan Dictionary:
if something catches your eye, you suddenly notice it
There was one painting that caught my eye.
So in your example, you were just minding your own business, not meaning to check the time at all, when suddenly
My watch caught my eye...shoot! It's 10:30!
add a comment |Â
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
3
down vote
My first thought was that you might glimpse your watch:
glimpse
VERB
[WITH OBJECT]
See or perceive briefly or partially.
âÂÂhe glimpsed a figure standing in the shadeâÂÂ
(from the Oxford Dictionaries)
But then I felt that wasn't quite right. What you really did was catch sight of your watch:
catch (or get a) sight of
Glimpse for a moment; suddenly notice.
âÂÂwhen she caught sight of him she smiledâÂÂ
So in your sentence, it would be:
I caught sight of my watch... shoot! It's 10:30!
Thanks! I'll be using that for now.
â Joshua Ronis
19 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
My first thought was that you might glimpse your watch:
glimpse
VERB
[WITH OBJECT]
See or perceive briefly or partially.
âÂÂhe glimpsed a figure standing in the shadeâÂÂ
(from the Oxford Dictionaries)
But then I felt that wasn't quite right. What you really did was catch sight of your watch:
catch (or get a) sight of
Glimpse for a moment; suddenly notice.
âÂÂwhen she caught sight of him she smiledâÂÂ
So in your sentence, it would be:
I caught sight of my watch... shoot! It's 10:30!
Thanks! I'll be using that for now.
â Joshua Ronis
19 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
up vote
3
down vote
My first thought was that you might glimpse your watch:
glimpse
VERB
[WITH OBJECT]
See or perceive briefly or partially.
âÂÂhe glimpsed a figure standing in the shadeâÂÂ
(from the Oxford Dictionaries)
But then I felt that wasn't quite right. What you really did was catch sight of your watch:
catch (or get a) sight of
Glimpse for a moment; suddenly notice.
âÂÂwhen she caught sight of him she smiledâÂÂ
So in your sentence, it would be:
I caught sight of my watch... shoot! It's 10:30!
My first thought was that you might glimpse your watch:
glimpse
VERB
[WITH OBJECT]
See or perceive briefly or partially.
âÂÂhe glimpsed a figure standing in the shadeâÂÂ
(from the Oxford Dictionaries)
But then I felt that wasn't quite right. What you really did was catch sight of your watch:
catch (or get a) sight of
Glimpse for a moment; suddenly notice.
âÂÂwhen she caught sight of him she smiledâÂÂ
So in your sentence, it would be:
I caught sight of my watch... shoot! It's 10:30!
answered 21 mins ago
Roger Sinasohn
9,24811848
9,24811848
Thanks! I'll be using that for now.
â Joshua Ronis
19 mins ago
add a comment |Â
Thanks! I'll be using that for now.
â Joshua Ronis
19 mins ago
Thanks! I'll be using that for now.
â Joshua Ronis
19 mins ago
Thanks! I'll be using that for now.
â Joshua Ronis
19 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
If you didn't intend to look, then you probably wouldn't describe what happened with that verb. (Even if that's what happened.)
You could use one of the following phrases instead:
I became aware of the time.
I suddenly realized the time.
I noticed the time on my watch.
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
If you didn't intend to look, then you probably wouldn't describe what happened with that verb. (Even if that's what happened.)
You could use one of the following phrases instead:
I became aware of the time.
I suddenly realized the time.
I noticed the time on my watch.
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
up vote
2
down vote
If you didn't intend to look, then you probably wouldn't describe what happened with that verb. (Even if that's what happened.)
You could use one of the following phrases instead:
I became aware of the time.
I suddenly realized the time.
I noticed the time on my watch.
If you didn't intend to look, then you probably wouldn't describe what happened with that verb. (Even if that's what happened.)
You could use one of the following phrases instead:
I became aware of the time.
I suddenly realized the time.
I noticed the time on my watch.
answered 20 mins ago
Jason Bassford
12.6k21136
12.6k21136
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
One way to do this would be to take yourself out of the subject position. You can make yourself the passive victim of your watch's attention-getting machinations by using the expression catch someone's eye. From MacMillan Dictionary:
if something catches your eye, you suddenly notice it
There was one painting that caught my eye.
So in your example, you were just minding your own business, not meaning to check the time at all, when suddenly
My watch caught my eye...shoot! It's 10:30!
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
One way to do this would be to take yourself out of the subject position. You can make yourself the passive victim of your watch's attention-getting machinations by using the expression catch someone's eye. From MacMillan Dictionary:
if something catches your eye, you suddenly notice it
There was one painting that caught my eye.
So in your example, you were just minding your own business, not meaning to check the time at all, when suddenly
My watch caught my eye...shoot! It's 10:30!
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
One way to do this would be to take yourself out of the subject position. You can make yourself the passive victim of your watch's attention-getting machinations by using the expression catch someone's eye. From MacMillan Dictionary:
if something catches your eye, you suddenly notice it
There was one painting that caught my eye.
So in your example, you were just minding your own business, not meaning to check the time at all, when suddenly
My watch caught my eye...shoot! It's 10:30!
One way to do this would be to take yourself out of the subject position. You can make yourself the passive victim of your watch's attention-getting machinations by using the expression catch someone's eye. From MacMillan Dictionary:
if something catches your eye, you suddenly notice it
There was one painting that caught my eye.
So in your example, you were just minding your own business, not meaning to check the time at all, when suddenly
My watch caught my eye...shoot! It's 10:30!
answered 12 mins ago
1006a
19.3k23583
19.3k23583
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
Joshua Ronis is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Joshua Ronis is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Joshua Ronis is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Joshua Ronis is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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