see
Preserved but no longer current.
Like "go" and "do," this useful verb has long been supplemented with a slang or unauthorized meaning. In street parlance, "to SEE" is to know or believe; "I don’t SEE that," i.e., "I don’t put faith in what you offer, or I know what you say to be untrue."
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “see” mean?
Like "go" and "do," this useful verb has long been supplemented with a slang or unauthorized meaning. In street parlance, "to SEE" is to know or believe; "I don’t SEE that," i.e., "I don’t put faith in what you offer, or I know what you say to be untrue."
Is “see” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.