Seem , v. t. To befit; to beseem. [Obs.]
Spenser.
Seem (sēm),
v. i. [imp. & p. p. Seemed (sēmd);
p. pr. & vb. n.
Seeming.]
[OE. semen to seem, to become, befit, AS. sēman to satisfy, pacify; akin to Icel. sæma
to honor, to
bear with, conform to, sæmr
becoming, fit, sōma 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. √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.
Thou picture of what thou
seem'st.
Shak.
All seemed well pleased; all seemed, but were not all.
Milton. There is a way which seemeth right unto a
man; but the
end thereof are the ways
of death.
Prov.
xiv. 12. It seems, it appears; it is
understood as true; it is said.
A prince of Italy, it seems, entertained his mistress on a
great lake.
Addison. Syn. -- To appear; look. -- 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.
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.
Hear it pronounced