- visit
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I. verb
(visited; visiting)
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French visiter, from Latin visitare, frequentative of visere to go to see, frequentative of vidēre to see
Date: 13th century
transitive verb
1.
a. archaic comfort — used of the Deity <visit us with Thy salvation — Charles Wesley> b. (1) afflict <visited his people with distempers — Tobias Smollett> (2) inflict, impose <visited his wrath upon them> c. avenge <visited the sins of the fathers upon the children> d. to present itself to or come over momentarily <was visited by a strange notion> 2. to go to see in order to comfort or help 3. a. to pay a call on as an act of friendship or courtesy b. to reside with temporarily as a guest c. to go to see or stay at (a place) for a particular purpose (as business or sightseeing) d. to go or come officially to inspect or oversee <a bishop visiting his parishes> intransitive verb 1. to make a visit; also to make frequent or regular visits 2. chat, converse <enjoys visiting with the neighbors> II. noun Date: 1621 1. a. a short stay ; call b. a brief residence as a guest c. an extended stay ; sojourn 2. a journey to and stay or short sojourn at a place 3. an official or professional call or tour ; visitation 4. the act of a naval officer in boarding a merchant ship on the high seas in exercise of the right of search
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.