Seem \Seem\ (s[=e]m), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Seemed (s[=e]md); p.
pr. & vb. n. Seeming.] [OE. semen to seem, to become,
befit, AS. s[=e]man to satisfy, pacify; akin to Icel. saema
to honor, to bear with, conform to, saemr becoming, fit,
s[=o]ma to beseem, to befit, sama to beseem, semja to
arrange, settle, put right, Goth. samjan to please, and to E.
same. The sense is probably due to the adj. seemly.
[root]191. See Same, a., and cf. Seemly.]
To appear, or to appear to be; to have a show or semblance;
to present an appearance; to look; to strike one's
apprehension or fancy as being; to be taken as. "It now
seemed probable." --Macaulay.
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Thou picture of what thou seem'st. --Shak.
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All seemed well pleased; all seemed, but were not all.
--Milton.
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There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the
end thereof are the ways of death. --Prov. xiv.
12.
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It seems, it appears; it is understood as true; it is said.
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A prince of Italy, it seems, entertained his
mistress on a great lake. --Addison.
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Syn: To appear; look.
Usage: Seem, Appear. To appear has reference to a thing's
being presented to our view; as, the sun appears; to
seem is connected with the idea of semblance, and
usually implies an inference of our mind as to the
probability of a thing's being so; as, a storm seems
to be coming. "The story appears to be true," means
that the facts, as presented, go to show its truth;
"the story seems to be true," means that it has the
semblance of being so, and we infer that it is true.
"His first and principal care being to appear unto his
people such as he would have them be, and to be such
as he appeared." --Sir P. Sidney.
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Ham. Ay, madam, it is common.
Queen. If it be,
Why seems it so particular with thee?
Ham. Seems, madam! Nay, it is; I know not
"seems." --Shak.
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