onlooker
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++on·look·er /ˈɒnˌlʊkə $ ˈɑːn-, ˈɒːn-/ noun [countable] WATCHsomeone who watches something happening without being involved in it 旁观者，观看者 A crowd of onlookers had gathered at the scene of the accident. 一群旁观者围聚在事故现场。 → look on at look1
Examples from the Corpus
onlooker• The concept of county supervisor as onlooker is presented throughout the proposed charter.• About 40 curious onlookers stood by as firefighters cut the windshield with an ax.• The child glanced fearfully around the small circle of onlookers.• A crowd of onlookers gathered at the scene of the accident.• The last few runners appeared, to an accompanying cheer from the crowd of onlookers.• The crowd of onlookers had grown.• And there was a good turn out of onlookers on the river bank.• With his free hand, he beckoned the startled onlookers to come closer.• With a terrible flash that all but blinded the onlookers the island vanished, around it the storm of magical energy.• This was achieved by turning half away with a repressed sigh so that the onlooker observed the profile which photographed very pleasingly.• The soldiers so blocked spectators' view that the onlookers cheered, thinking the president was in the carriage.on·look·er nounChineseSyllable
Corpus who someone watches happening without something being
onlooker
on‧look‧er /ˈɒnˌlʊkə $ ˈɑːn-, ˈɒːn-/
noun [countable]
someone who watches something happening without being involved in it:
A crowd of onlookers had gathered at the scene of the accident.
⇨ look on at look1
■ someone who watches something
▪spectator someone who watches an event, especially a sports event: There were 4,500 spectators at the game. | a crowd of spectators
▪viewer someone who watches television: Millions of television viewers listened to the President’s speech. | programmes for younger viewers
▪audience the people who watch a play or performance, or the people who watch a particular television programme: The audience roared with laughter and clapped. | It attracted a television audience of seven million.
▪onlooker someone who watches something happening without being involved in it, especially in the street: A man was standing on the roof, watched by a crowd of onlookers below.
▪observer someone who watches and pays attention to particular situations and events, because they are interested in them, or it is their job: She was a shrewd observer of human nature. | a political observer who writes for The Independent newspaper | The United Nations has sent military observers to the Sudan.
on‧look‧er /ˈɒnˌlʊkə $ ˈɑːn-, ˈɒːn-/
noun [countable]someone who watches something happening without being involved in it:
⇨ look on at look1
| THESAURUS |
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witness a person who sees sth happen and is able to describe it to other people; a person who gives evidence in a court of law 指目击者、见证人、证人 ：◆ Police have appealed for witnesses to the accident.警方呼吁这起事故的目击者出来作证。 observer a person who sees sth happen 指观察者、目击者 ：◆ According to observers, the plane exploded shortly after take-off. 据目击者说，飞机起飞后不久就爆炸了。 onlooker a person who watches sth that is happening but is not involved in it 指旁观者 ：◆ A crowd of onlookers gathered at the scene of the crash. 在撞车地点聚集了一大群围观者。 passer-by a person who is going past sb/sth by chance, especially when sth unexpected happens 指路人、过路的人，尤指意想不到的事发生时碰巧路过的 ：◆ Police asked passers-by if they had witnessed the accident. 警察询问过路的人是否目击了这次事故。 bystander a person who is near and can see what is happening when sth such as an accident or fight takes place 指现场目击者、旁观者 ：◆ Three innocent bystanders were killed in the crossfire.三名无辜的旁观者在交火中丧生。 eyewitness a person who has seen a crime or accident and can describe it afterwards 指犯罪或事故现场的目击者、见证人
Patterns
a witness/an observer/an onlooker/a passer-by/a bystander/an eyewitness sees sthan observer/an onlooker/a passer-by/a bystander witnesses sth