Is there a phrase for “I cast a glance” but as in an accident?

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2
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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?










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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?










    share|improve this question









    New contributor




    Joshua Ronis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.





















      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?










      share|improve this question









      New contributor




      Joshua Ronis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.











      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






      share|improve this question









      New contributor




      Joshua Ronis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.











      share|improve this question









      New contributor




      Joshua Ronis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.









      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question








      edited 18 mins ago





















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      Joshua Ronis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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      asked 34 mins ago









      Joshua Ronis

      1114




      1114




      New contributor




      Joshua Ronis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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      New contributor





      Joshua Ronis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.






      Joshua Ronis is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.




















          3 Answers
          3






          active

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          3
          down vote













          My first thought was that you might glimpse your watch:




          glimpse



          VERB



          [WITH OBJECT]




          1. See or perceive briefly or partially.



            ‘he glimpsed a figure standing in the shade’





          (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.



          ‘when she caught sight of him she smiled’




          So in your sentence, it would be:




          I caught sight of my watch... shoot! It's 10:30!







          share|improve this answer




















          • Thanks! I'll be using that for now.
            – Joshua Ronis
            19 mins ago

















          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.







          share|improve this answer



























            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!







            share|improve this answer




















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              3 Answers
              3






              active

              oldest

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              3 Answers
              3






              active

              oldest

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              active

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              up vote
              3
              down vote













              My first thought was that you might glimpse your watch:




              glimpse



              VERB



              [WITH OBJECT]




              1. See or perceive briefly or partially.



                ‘he glimpsed a figure standing in the shade’





              (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.



              ‘when she caught sight of him she smiled’




              So in your sentence, it would be:




              I caught sight of my watch... shoot! It's 10:30!







              share|improve this answer




















              • Thanks! I'll be using that for now.
                – Joshua Ronis
                19 mins ago














              up vote
              3
              down vote













              My first thought was that you might glimpse your watch:




              glimpse



              VERB



              [WITH OBJECT]




              1. See or perceive briefly or partially.



                ‘he glimpsed a figure standing in the shade’





              (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.



              ‘when she caught sight of him she smiled’




              So in your sentence, it would be:




              I caught sight of my watch... shoot! It's 10:30!







              share|improve this answer




















              • Thanks! I'll be using that for now.
                – Joshua Ronis
                19 mins ago












              up vote
              3
              down vote










              up vote
              3
              down vote









              My first thought was that you might glimpse your watch:




              glimpse



              VERB



              [WITH OBJECT]




              1. See or perceive briefly or partially.



                ‘he glimpsed a figure standing in the shade’





              (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.



              ‘when she caught sight of him she smiled’




              So in your sentence, it would be:




              I caught sight of my watch... shoot! It's 10:30!







              share|improve this answer












              My first thought was that you might glimpse your watch:




              glimpse



              VERB



              [WITH OBJECT]




              1. See or perceive briefly or partially.



                ‘he glimpsed a figure standing in the shade’





              (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.



              ‘when she caught sight of him she smiled’




              So in your sentence, it would be:




              I caught sight of my watch... shoot! It's 10:30!








              share|improve this answer












              share|improve this answer



              share|improve this answer










              answered 21 mins ago









              Roger Sinasohn

              9,24811848




              9,24811848











              • Thanks! I'll be using that for now.
                – Joshua Ronis
                19 mins ago
















              • Thanks! I'll be using that for now.
                – Joshua Ronis
                19 mins ago















              Thanks! I'll be using that for now.
              – Joshua Ronis
              19 mins ago




              Thanks! I'll be using that for now.
              – Joshua Ronis
              19 mins ago












              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.







              share|improve this answer
























                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.







                share|improve this answer






















                  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.







                  share|improve this answer












                  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.








                  share|improve this answer












                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer










                  answered 20 mins ago









                  Jason Bassford

                  12.6k21136




                  12.6k21136




















                      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!







                      share|improve this answer
























                        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!







                        share|improve this answer






















                          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!







                          share|improve this answer












                          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!








                          share|improve this answer












                          share|improve this answer



                          share|improve this answer










                          answered 12 mins ago









                          1006a

                          19.3k23583




                          19.3k23583




















                              Joshua Ronis is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.









                               

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