leaf through — to turn the pages of a book, magazine, or document quickly and casually, often without reading carefully
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to turn the pages of a book, magazine, or document quickly and casually, often without reading carefully
Pronunciation (IPA): /liːf θruː/
Example Sentences
- I always leaf through cookbooks but never actually cook anything from them.
- He leafed through his old photo album and smiled at the memories.
- The student leafed through the textbook frantically, looking for answers during the open-book exam.
leaf through
VERB[/liːf θruː/]
to turn the pages of a book, magazine, or document quickly and casually, often without reading carefully
a young woman sits in a plush armchair holding a thick fashion magazine, her thumb rapidly flipping through multiple pages at once. Pages flutter and bend as she moves quickly from section to section without stopping to read. She pauses briefly to glance at a colorful spread before continuing to flip forward through more pages. A barista nearby watches while cleaning a coffee cup, noticing how fast she's moving through the publication. The woman's eyes scan quickly across each page as it passes, taking in only brief glimpses of the content. someone turning the pages of a magazine quickly and casually without reading carefully
Leaf through pages for relief - a brief note brings belief!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The phrase 'leaf through' derives from Old English 'leaf' (page, folio), which originally meant a thin sheet or layer. The expression developed from the visual and tactile similarity between tree leaves and the thin pages of a book, suggesting the action of turning pages as one would rustle through leaves.
Breakdown
leaf (Old English leaf: a thin sheet, page, folio) + through (indicating motion across or over multiple items), combining to express the act of casually turning pages of a book or document.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“I always leaf through cookbooks but never actually cook anything from them.”
“He leafed through his old photo album and smiled at the memories.”
“The student leafed through the textbook frantically, looking for answers during the open-book exam.”
“She leafed through the contract before signing it.”
📚Related Words
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