Prospect

[Lat. prospectus, from prospicere, prospectum, to look forward, from pro, before, forward, and specere, spicere, to look, to see; O. Fr. prospect, It. prospetto.]

1Sense 1. That which is embraced by the eye in vision; view; field or region which the eye overlooks at one time.

His eye discovers, unaware, The goodly prospect of some foreign land. Milton.

2Sense 2. Especially, a picturesque or widely extended view; a landscape; hence, a sketch of a landscape.

I went to Putney, and other places on the Thames, to take prospects in crayon. Evelyn.

3Sense 3. A position which affords a fine view; a look-out. “Him God beholding from his prospect high.” Milton.

4Sense 4. Position of the front of a building; face; relative aspect. “The east gate having the prospect toward the north.” Ezek. xl. 44.

5Sense 5. The act of looking forward; anticipation; ground or reason for hoping.

Is he a prudent man as to his temporal estate, who lays designs only for a day, without any prospect to, or provision for, the remaining part of life? Tillotson.

6Sense 6. That to which the mind looks forward; expectation.

To be king Stands not within the prospect of belief. Shak.