look away
phrasal verb·1 sense·particle away
Meanings
Turn your eyes in a different direction
Why “away”? A person, object, look, or choice becomes more distant from its starting point.
“She looked away in shame.”
“He looked away during the scary scene.”
Don't confuse with
Look away means turn your eyes in a different direction. Look back means think about events in the past.
Look away means turn your eyes in a different direction. Look behind means turn your head to see what is at your back.
Test yourself
“She looked away in shame.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
look back
A contrast learners often mix up
Think about events in the past
look behind
A contrast learners often mix up
Turn your head to see what is at your back
back away
Same away pattern: leaving
Move away or distance yourself, often from fear or caution
break away
Same away pattern: leaving
Escape from someone holding you; Leave a group to form a separate one; Pull ahead of others in a race
call away
Same away pattern: leaving
Be required to leave because of an urgent matter
chase away
Same away pattern: leaving
Force someone or something to leave by chasing
come away
Same away pattern: leaving
Leave a place with a particular feeling or impression
drag away
Same away pattern: leaving
Force someone to leave a place reluctantly
Tell it apart
Side-by-side comparisons with the verbs learners most often confuse for “look away”.
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