To look around Oxford University

[angliholic]

To look around Oxford University, you can take a guided walking tour.


Is it identical to interpret the above as follows? If not, feel free to correct my mistakes. Thanks.

To check out Oxford University, you can join a walking tour with a guide.

[Anglika]

You can't.

There is no one physical space "Oxford University" (or "Cambridge University").

There is a city with colleges, laboratories and libraries, with buildings that house specific disciplines, so you can tour Oxford or Cambridge, looking at all or any of these, but the "university" is an abstract concept.

[angliholic]

Originally Posted by Anglika

You can't.

There is no one physical space "Oxford University" (or "Cambridge University").

There is a city with colleges, laboratories and libraries, with buildings that house specific disciplines, so you can tour Oxford or Cambridge, looking at all or any of these, but the "university" is an abstract concept.

Thanks, Anglika.

Just to make sure, do you mean that "check out" must be followed by something physical?

[Anglika]

I think you will usually need something concrete to check out - it need not be physical:

I need to check out the time of the trains.
I want to check out the availability of rooms.

You could check out what is on offer in the way of courses at Oxford University.

But there is no way you can have a walking tour of it.

[angliholic]

Originally Posted by Anglika

I think you will usually need something concrete to check out - it need not be physical:

I need to check out the time of the trains.
I want to check out the availability of rooms.

You could check out what is on offer in the way of courses at Oxford University.

But there is no way you can have a walking tour of it.

Thanks, Anglika.
I always thought that something physical and concrete was the same. Now I'm curious about their difference. Would you shed more light? Thanks.