[General] To gaze up

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The French

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Hi all,

I am reading an Ottawa's newspaper in which two words stuck me about the meaning of the sentence.

See belong :

"Thick grey smoke billowed over surrounding streets, where dozens of area residents braved the cold to gaze up and take photos".

I know it is easy for native English but for me this little word like 'up' after gaze always blurred my understanding. Nonetheless I would like to know what means these two words together.

Thanks.
 

bhaisahab

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Hi all,

I am reading an Ottawa's newspaper in which two words stuck me about the meaning of the sentence.

See belong :

"Thick grey smoke billowed over surrounding streets, where dozens of area residents braved the cold to gaze up and take photos".

I know it is easy for native English but for me this little word like 'up' after gaze always blurred my understanding. Nonetheless I would like to know what means these two words together.

Thanks.
"To gaze" means "to look", "to gaze up" means "to look upwards", at the sky for example.
 

The French

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Jun 12, 2009
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Current Location
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"To gaze" means "to look", "to gaze up" means "to look upwards", at the sky for example.

Hello teacher,

thanks for your answer. I read often English or American newspaper and I'd like to know if it is natural for English always to write a particule like 'up' 'down' or another with verbs to show a direction about an action.

Hope you understand what I try to ask you.

Thanks.
 

bhaisahab

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 12, 2008
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
Ireland
Hello teacher,

thanks for your answer. I read often English or American newspaper and I'd like to know if it is natural for English always to write a particule like 'up' 'down' or another with verbs to show a direction about an action.

Hope you understand what I try to ask you.

Thanks.

Yes, that's right but sometimes a verb can be followed by a preposition of direction and the resulting "phrasal verb" means something else entirely, "to look up a word in a dictionary" for example, has nothing to do with direction.
 

The French

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Joined
Jun 12, 2009
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
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Home Country
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Current Location
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Yes, that's right but sometimes a verb can be followed by a preposition of direction and the resulting "phrasal verb" means something else entirely, "to look up a word in a dictionary" for example, has nothing to do with direction.

Hi,

I reckon I must learn a lot of those phrasals verbs to understand the subtleties of English. I am not going to relinquish maybe give up it's better.

A have a break, I am going to lunch perhaps the word souper is better because it is to early for souper
.;-)
 
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