A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

look back • not look back
look back —return to smth. in one’s thoughts: When we
look back, we can now understand what caused the difficulty.
not look back —(also: never look back) 
1
. proceed with no
regret for the past: I made my decision then and there and
didn’t look back. 2. become more and more successful: Her
first novel was published in 
1
998 and since then she hasn’t
looked back.
look blue • look blue around the gills
look blue —(coll.) look sad or depressed: A guy stopped at
my door and asked what was the matter with me. I said,
“Nothing.” He said, “You look blue.”
Note:
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase till one is blue in the face—do smth. over and over again
but without any effect: I talked till I was blue in the face, trying
to explain where this would lead to.
look blue around the gills —(coll.) 
1
. look indisposed or un -
well: John is looking a little blue around the gills. What’s
wrong? 2. look as though one is about to be sick: As the sea
became rougher many passengers began to look blue around
the gills.
look down one’s nose at something • turn up one’s
nose at something
look down one’s nose at something —treat smth. with con-
tempt: Jolyon’s water-colors were on view there. He went in
to look down his nose at them — it might give him some faint
satisfaction.
turn up one’s nose at something — = look down one’s nose at
something: Uncle Jeremy never turned up his nose at a bowl
of bean-porridge.
look for something • look out for something
look for something —
1
. try to find smth.: Wilkins was in
charge of the Canadian search section which was looking for
the lost Soviet Polar Expedition. 2. hope to get smth.: He is
looking for support to put together a group so as to fully recre-
ate the ritual dance and music.
look out for something —
1
. be on guard for smth., especially
smth. dangerous: Residents are being asked to be more vigilant
in looking out for possible terrorist activities in their neigh-
borhoods. 2. look after smth.; protect smth. from harm: They
are part of a “community” where neighbours will look out for
their property while they are away. 3. wait for smth. that is
going to happen or expected to appear: If your name isn’t on
the list, look out for our future competitions where you may
have more luck.