vbl. sb. [f. VIEW v.] The action of beholding or observing; examination or inspection.
1548. Cooper, Elyot’s Dict., Inspectio,… a viewynge.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., I. xv. (1634), 79. The Understanding minde, which with … quiet viewing beholdeth all those things that Reason is wont to discourse upon.
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, III. (Arb.), 79. Thee mount Leucates … Vp peaks to the viewing.
1593. Galway Arch., in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. V. 453. A gennerall Assembly houlden … for vewinge of the waste plott of grounde.
1613. in Scott. Hist. Rev., Oct. (1910), 12. Denton had the veweing and marshalling of all his evidences and was trusted to have access unto them at his pleasure.
1633. Earl Manch., Al Mondo (1636), 139. Often viewing will make familiar, and free it from distaste.
1672. Penn, in Life, Wks. 1726, I. 45. Such as foolishly think thy Dreams and Impostures worth a viewing.
1785. Burns, To W. Simpson, Postscr. iii. They thought the Moon … Woor by degrees, till her last roon Gaed past their viewin.
1838. J. P. Kennedy, Rob of Bowl, xiv. People are quick to censure, especially such as look to the tobacco viewing.
attrib. 1571. Digges, Pantom., I. xxi. G j. If it be lower at the glasse than at the viewing station.
1897. Pop. Sci. Monthly, Nov., 138. The viewing differ from the taking screens.
