Skip to content
EN KO VI NE KM ID

spect

spekt

Respect and suspect are the same eye, aimed differently

The picture An eye leaning in close to look at something. Only the direction of the look changes. spect sends the eye toward the thing; dict sends the sound out of the mouth.

Word roots

Where the picture shows up in spect

  1. looking inside

    Let me inspect the label before we ship it.

    let miː ɪnˈspekt ðə ˈleɪbəl bɪˈfɔːr wiː ʃɪp ɪt

    Let me check the label before it goes out.

    The eye comes right down onto the label and runs along the inside of it.

    in (into) + spect (look).

  2. people just watching

    The stands were full of spectators.

    ðə stændz wər fʊl əv ˈspekteɪtərz

    Every seat in the stands was taken.

    Rows of eyes outside the field, every one of them turned on the middle.

  3. looking again

    I respect the way she handled it.

    aɪ rɪˈspekt ðə weɪ ʃiː ˈhændəld ɪt

    I think highly of how she dealt with it.

    You had already walked past, then stop and turn your head for a second look.

    Someone you look at twice — that is respect.

  4. looking ahead

    The prospects for this deal look good.

    ðə ˈprɑːspekts fɔːr ðɪs diːl lʊk ɡʊd

    This deal is looking promising.

    The eye lifts and looks far up the road, at what has not arrived yet.

  5. looking up from below

    I suspect the printer is broken again.

    aɪ səˈspekt ðə ˈprɪntər ɪz ˈbroʊkən əˈɡen

    I have a feeling the printer has failed again.

    The eye can't look straight on, so it glances up from underneath.

    sub (under) + spect: a sideways look from below is suspicion.

All of it in one picture

spect is one eye, and the piece in front only turns it. Bring it in close and you are inspecting; leave it standing outside and you are a spectator. Stop and turn it back on someone and that is respect; lift it up the road and you are talking about prospects; tilt it up from underneath and it becomes suspicion. So when a new spect word turns up, don't hunt for a meaning — ask who is looking, and from where.

Next

See all English core images