look forward to
lʊk ˈfɔːrwərd tuː
Eyes fixed up the road — look forward to
The picture You lean forward with your eyes fastened on something coming toward you up the road. Look back turns the eyes toward what has passed; look forward to fastens them on what is coming.
Where the picture shows up in look forward to
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eyes on an approaching day
I'm looking forward to the weekend.
aɪm ˈlʊkɪŋ ˈfɔːrwərd tə ðə ˌwiːkˈend
I can't wait for the weekend.
Standing at the calendar, staring again and again at the Saturday square
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eyes on news still to arrive
We look forward to hearing from you.
wi lʊk ˈfɔːrwərd tə ˈhɪrɪŋ frəm juː
We'll be glad to hear from you.
Standing at an empty mailbox, watching the lane the postman comes down
The set polite closing at the end of a letter or email.
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leaning toward something about to start
She's looking forward to starting the new job.
ʃiz ˈlʊkɪŋ ˈfɔːrwərd tə ˈstɑːrtɪŋ ðə njuː dʒɑːb
She's excited to start the new job.
New work clothes folded on her knees while she looks ahead to her first morning
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turning the face away from what's coming
He doesn't look forward to Mondays.
hi ˈdʌznt lʊk ˈfɔːrwərd tə ˈmʌndeɪz
He dreads Mondays.
Monday comes up the road and he deliberately turns his face aside
In the negative, the picture is eyes refusing to fasten.
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eyes on a person you'll meet
I'm really looking forward to meeting your family.
aɪm ˈrɪli ˈlʊkɪŋ ˈfɔːrwərd tə ˈmiːtɪŋ jɔːr ˈfæməli
I really can't wait to meet your family.
Watching the station gate for the faces that will come through it
All of it in one picture
Look forward to is one picture: eyes fastened up the road. Fasten them on Saturday and you can't wait; fasten them on a letter still to come and you have the polite closing of an email; fasten them on a new job and you are excited to start. Turn the face away and Mondays are unwelcome; fasten the eyes on a person and you can't wait to meet them. The gaze is always pointed at what is approaching.