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Webster 1913 Edition

Seem

Seem

(sēm)
,
Verb.
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.
saema
to honor, to bear with, conform to,
saemr
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
,
Adj.
, 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
.
Shakespeare
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
.”
Shakespeare

Seem

,
Verb.
T.
To befit; to beseem.
[Obs.]
Spenser.

Webster 1828 Edition

Seem

SEEM

,
Verb.
i.
1. To appear; to make or have a show or semblance.
Thou art not what thou seems't. Shak.
All seem'd well pleased; all seem'd, but were not all. Milton.
2. To have the appearance of truth or fact; to be understood as true. It seems that the Turkish power is on the decline.
A prince of Italy, it seems, entertained his mistress on a great lake. Addison.

SEEM

,
Verb.
T.
To become; to befit. Obs.

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