Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To look at merchandise in store windows or showcases without making purchases.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb intransitive to engage in window-shopping; to browse the windows of shops with no intention of buying anything

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb examine the shop windows; shop with the eyes only

Etymologies

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Examples

  • When she emerged from the Metro, she made herself window-shop, skimming the fiction titles propped in the window of Kramerbooks and admiring the low riders displayed in the darkened Lucky Brand Jeans store.

    Law of Attraction Allison Leotta 2010

  • It doesn't cost much to window-shop or take a neighborhood drive, and sometimes that's all it takes to find yourself in the full grip of the Christmas spirit.

    America's Best Christmas Displays John Giuffo 2010

  • I don't want to go to City Hall or anything, but the more I window-shop or lurk along the edges of The Wedding Industry -- glossy magazines, reality shows, websites -- the less I see myself participating in its rituals.

    Rebecca Walker: An Atypical Engagement: Brooke Berman's Happy Family 2010

  • It doesn't cost much to window-shop or take a neighborhood drive, and sometimes that's all it takes to find yourself in the full grip of the Christmas spirit.

    America's Best Christmas Displays John Giuffo 2010

  • When she emerged from the Metro, she made herself window-shop, skimming the fiction titles propped in the window of Kramerbooks and admiring the low riders displayed in the darkened Lucky Brand Jeans store.

    Law of Attraction Allison Leotta 2010

  •  It's my only day off and I just want to window-shop, have lunch at the diner.

    Monster myke ripellino 2010

  • I don't want to go to City Hall or anything, but the more I window-shop or lurk along the edges of The Wedding Industry -- glossy magazines, reality shows, websites -- the less I see myself participating in its rituals.

    Rebecca Walker: An Atypical Engagement: Brooke Berman's Happy Family 2010

  • Henken, who grew up in Dayton, Ohio, remembers when his family would window-shop through downtown after a movie, and virtually the entire contents of a store could be seen.

    Storefront windows in the District are not what they used to be 2010

  • Henken, who grew up in Dayton, Ohio, remembers when his family would window-shop through downtown after a movie, and virtually the entire contents of a store could be seen.

    Storefront windows in the District are not what they used to be 2010

  • Maybe better, less noisy low-light performance blacks end up with dark-orange confetti on them sometimes; maybe a larger sensor, if there's any consistent way to find out how big the sensors are on the cameras I window-shop.

    Making Light: Open thread 135 2010

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