look past

look past

1. Literally, to try to see a point past someone or something. If you look past the monument, you can see the country's legislative building in the distance. The teacher looked past the student asking the question to the empty desk at the back of the classroom.
2. To anticipate, plan for, or look forward to a time in the future after some event or situation. We're already looking past this loss to the election in 2075. You need to look past this one decision and see the bigger picture of our company's future.
3. To ignore, disregard, or forgive something; to overlook something. We're willing to look past the incident this time, seeing as it was your first offense, but any future transgressions will result in an immediate termination from the company. What she said was insulting, but she apologized, so I'm going to look past it.
4. To accept, feel better about, move on from, or come to terms with something. Try to look past the short-term problems and realize the potential this project has for long-term benefits. If you can look past its goofy-looking exterior, this car is actually very well made and exceptionally fast.
See also: look, past
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • sneak past (someone or something)
  • brush past (someone or something)
  • reach past (someone or something)
  • blow past (someone or something)
  • knew it was coming
  • know (something) is coming
  • settle an old score (with someone)
  • settle the score
  • settle a score
  • settle a score with
References in classic literature
"A man in my state ought not to look at spirits, or he may never look past them again.
We are hoping there is someone out there who can look past her colour and see her lovely personality, and offer her a home.
The analyst, who said he is willing to look past the timing related headwinds to cash flow from the license shift, also said he believes the proposed acquisition of SignalFx should fill key gaps in Splunk's current portfolio.
"Because of the background that I've come from and what I'm suffering with -- I can't look past today because tomorrow I might be in a total depression again; so I only have to live for today and be happy for now, that's how I get through it.
Yet while he was happy to confirm he will look to strengthen his squad over the summer, Lennon stressed he did not have the luxury of being able to look past the bid to win a ninth successive title.
In the second of the maiden hurdles it is hard to look past An Fraoch Mor who contested a Naas novice hurdle won by City Island last time.
"Being able to look past your own life stress and show up for someone else is not something others are willing to do," said Tina Hike-Hubbard, senior director of education for Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.
Regardless of the momentum argument, isn't it tempting fate to look past the upcoming opponents to the ones you may face when you have brushed them aside?
"We look past personal gains and towards the prosperity and success of the country, we feel pride on that.
So even if his Blue Eagles are just two wins within an elimination-round sweep that will also guarantee an automatic finals berth in UAAP Season 80, the veteran mentor doesn't want his charges to look past the clash against University of Santo Tomas on Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
I've got to look past the score, past the criticism and look past who it's against.
"We are trying to look past the big regional events such as the Dubai Expo."
In the United States, voters find Donald Trump's strident outsider's narrative so compelling they are able to look past his bullying, obnoxious personality.
With that and Chelsea's recent upturn in form, it's hard to look past the hosts.