atisbar

to make out

atisbar(ah-tees-bahr)

transitive verb

1. (to see)

a. to make out

A medida que nos acercábamos a la finca, podía atisbar a un señor arreando a caballo su ganado.

As we got closer to the farm, I could make out a man on a horse herding his cattle.

Los náufragos atisbaron un barco en el horizonte y lanzaron inmediatamente una bengala.

The castaways made out a ship on the horizon and launched a flare right away.

b. to discern

Desde donde estaba, podía atisbar una figura solitaria en la distancia.

From where I was, I could discern a solitary figure in the distance.

2. (to keep a watch on)

a. to observe

Cada vez que salíamos de casa, veíamos a nuestra vecina atisbándonos desde la ventana.

Every time we left the house, we could see our neighbor observing us from her window.

b. to spy on

A través de la cerradura de la puerta, podía atisbar lo que ocurría en la habitación contigua.

Through the keyhole, she could spy on what was going on in the adjoining room.

c. to watch

El coronel atisbaba las idas y venidas en las trincheras enemigas con sus prismáticos.

The colonel was watching the comings and goings in the enemy's trenches with his binoculars.

3. (to look furtively at)

a. to peep at

El profesor lo pilló atisbando el examen de otro estudiante, intentando copiar.

The teacher caught him peeping at another student's exam, trying to copy from him.

intransitive verb

4. (to look out)

a. to peep out

Mi tía atisbaba por la mirilla, tratando de averiguar quién hablaba en el descansillo.

My aunt was peeping out through the spyhole, trying to find out who was talking on the landing.