By the look of it
Example: By the look of it, the cake is already baked.
Definition
"By the look of it" is an expression used to indicate that a conclusion or judgment is based on visual appearance or superficial evidence. For example, it suggests that something seems to be a certain way just from observing it, without further investigation.
Etymology
The phrase "by the look of it" originates from the simple observation that one can often infer information from how something appears. It combines 'by,' indicating means or method, with 'the look of it,' referring to the appearance or visual aspect. Did you know? This phrase has been commonly used in English for centuries as a colloquial way to express assumptions based on sight.
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"By the look of it" appears in the Vocaplus list "English - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (C1) - set 1", containing 130 commonly used expressions.
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