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# look - Unix, Linux Command

# NAME

look - display lines beginning with a given string

# SYNOPSIS

look [-dfa] [-t termchar] string [file]

# DESCRIPTION

The look utility displays any lines in file which contain string as a prefix. As look performs a binary search, the lines in file must be sorted (where sort(1) got the same options -d and/or -f that look is invoked with).

If file is not specified, the file `/usr/share/dict/words` is used, only alphanumeric characters are compared and the case of alphabetic characters is ignored.

Options:

Tag | Description
--- | ---
-d | Dictionary character set and order, i.e. only alphanumeric characters are compared.
-f | Ignore the case of alphabetic characters.
-a | Use the alternate dictionary `/usr/share/dict/web2`
-t | Specify a string termination character, i.e. only the characters in string up to and including the first occurrence of termchar are compared.

The look utility exits 0 if one or more lines were found and displayed, 1 if no lines were found, and >1 if an error occurred.

# FILES

Tag | Description
--- | ---
`/usr/share/dict/words`
| the dictionary
`/usr/share/dict/web2` | the alternate dictionary

# SEE ALSO

sort(1)

# COMPATIBILITY

The original manual page stated that tabs and blank characters participated in comparisons when the -d option was specified. This was incorrect and the current man page matches the historic implementation.

# HISTORY

Look appeared in Version 7 AT&T Unix.

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