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[see the light at the end of the tunnel]{v. phr.}, {informal} To anticipate the happy resolution of a prolonged period of problems. •/We’ve been paying on our house mortgage for many years, but at long last we can see the light at the end of the tunnel./

[see the light of day]{v. phr.} To be born or begun. •/The children visited the old house where their great-grandfather first saw the light of day./ •/The party was a failure, and Mathilda wished her plan had never seen the light of day./

[see the sights] See: SIGHTSEE.

[see things]{v. phr.}, {informal} To imagine sights which are not real; think you see what is not there. •/I had not seen him for twenty years and when we met on the street I thought I was seeing things./ •/She woke her husband to tell him she had seen a face at the window, but he told her she was seeing things./

[see through]{v.} 1. To understand the real meaning of or reason for; realize the falseness of. •/Mother saw through Johnny’s excuses not to go to bed on Christmas Eve. She knew he wanted to stay up to see Santa Claus./ •/The teacher saw through the boy’s story of having to help at home./ 2. To do (something) until finished; stay with until the end. •/Once Charles started a job, he saw it through till it was finished./ 3. To help and encourage (a person) through trouble or difficulty. •/Mrs. Miller saw Jane through her sickness./ •/When Mr. and Mrs. Brown lost their little girl, their friends saw them through with help and sympathy./ •/His business was about to fail, but his banker saw him through./ 4. To be enough for; last. •/This money will see us through the week./ •/Here is a long report to type. Do you have enough paper to see you through?/ Compare: TIDE OVER.

[see to] also [look to]{v.} To attend to; take care of; do whatever needs to be done about. •/While Donna bought the theatre tickets, I saw to the parking of the car./ Compare: SEE ABOUT.

[see to it]{v. phr.} To take care; take the responsibility; make sure. — Usually used with a noun clause. •/We saw to it that the child was fed and bathed./

[see with rose-colored glasses] See: LOOK AT THE WORLD THROUGH ROSE-COLORED GLASSES.

[seed money]{n. phr.} A small grant or donation for others to be able to start a new venture. •/All you need is some seed money and you can set up your own desk-top publishing firm./

[seize on]{v.} To make use of (a happening or idea.) •/Bob seized on the rain as an excuse for missing school./

[seize on] or [upon]{v. phr.} To latch onto. •/Whenever Herb is in a romantic mood, Irene seizes on it and starts talking about marriage, which is not what Herb had in mind./

[seize the opportunity]{v. phr.} To exploit a chance. •/His wealthy uncle offered to send him to Harvard and he wisely seized the opportunity./

[self-conscious]{adj.} Embarrassed; shy. •/Edith has a freckled face and sometimes she is very self-conscious about it./

[self-made]{adj.} Having achieved wealth, fame, and success on one’s own without outside help. •/John D. Rockefeller is one of the most famous self-made men in America./

[self-possessed]{adj.} Confident; sure of one self. •/Before he made his first million, he used to be shy, but afterwards he became very self-possessed./

[self-seeking]{adj.} Given to egotism and self-aggrandizement. •/Al is the most self-seeking person I’ve ever met, he is not fun to be around./

[sell down the river]{v. phr.} To give harmful information about someone or something to one’s enemies; betray. •/The traitor sold his country down the river to the enemy army./ •/The criminal told the hiding place of his companions and sold them down the river./ Compare: SELL OUT(2).

[sell off]{v. phr.} To liquidate one’s holdings of certain set items. •/The retired professor had to sell off his rare butterfly collection to meet his health expenses./

[sell one a bill of goods]{v. phr.} To persuade another to acquire something useless; defraud. •/We were sure sold a bill of goods when Alfred persuaded us to buy his custom-built car for which replacement parts weren’t available anywhere./

[sell one on]{v. phr.} To persuade someone to do something. •/We were able to sell our wealthy uncle on the idea of having a joint family vacation in Hawaii./

[sellout]{n.} 1. A betrayal or act of treason. •/The spy’s behavior during the Cold War was a classical sellout./

[sell out]{v.} 1a. To sell all of a certain thing which a store has in stock. •/In the store’s January white sale the sheets and pillowcases were sold out in two days./ 1b. To sell all the stock and close the store; go out of business. •/The local hardware store sold out last month and was replaced by a cafe./ 2. {informal} To be unfaithful to your country for money or other reward; be disloyal; sell a secret; accept a bribe./ •/In the Revolutionary War, Benedict Arnold sold out to the British./ •/The dishonest wrestler sold out to his opponent for a hundred dollars./

[sell short]{v.} To think (a person or thing) less good or valuable than is true; underestimate. •/Don’t sell the team short; the players are better than you think./ •/Some teachers sold John short./

[sell snow to the Eskimos]{v. phr.} To sell something to people who already have a large quantity of the same or similar goods. •/My Alaskan friend said, "One of the hottest businesses in Alaska is refrigeration. You could say that I, as a refrigerator expert, am selling snow to the Eskimos."/ See: CARRY COALS TO NEWCASTLE.

[send C.O.D.] See: C.O.D.

[send off]{v. phr.} To say good-bye to someone ceremoniously. •/They sent us off to the Mainland from our first visit to Hawaii with an elaborate champagne party at the pier./

[send-off]{n. phr.} A demonstration of affection or respect at someone’s departure, as a retirement ceremony. •/When our colleague retired after 35 years of teaching, we all got together at the Faculty Club and gave him a terrific send-off./

[send one about one’s business]{v. phr.} To dismiss someone summarily; tell one off. •/When Mrs. Atwater discovered that her daughter’s French tutor was an ordinary fortune hunter, she sent him about his business./ Compare: SEND ONE PACKING.

[send one packing]{v. phr.} To fire someone summarily. •/When the boss caught Smith stealing from the cash register, he sent him packing./ Compare: SEND ONE ABOUT ONE’S BUSINESS.