Imagine a group of people trying to rob a safe, or two people having sex where they should not. Afraid of being caught, they look around every few seconds to make sure no one sees them.
Is there one verb (or maybe a short verb phrase) to capture that sort of looking-around? I need a way to express that concisely and formally.
It sounds as if they're making furtive glances. From the linked definition:
attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically because of guilt or a belief that discovery would lead to trouble; secretive; suggestive of guilty nervousness.
To address a comment by @talrnu that a furtive glance is a discreet action in the company of others rather than a check for the presence of observers:
I recognize your meaning but find it restrictive.
In any case here's another possibility - on the qui vive defined as being on alert and watchful, as a sentry on post.
Looking over one's shoulder [Oxford]
Be anxious or insecure about a possible danger:
It's usually figurative, but it could work here.
To be on the lookout or on the alert (for someone or something) may fit your context:
- watchful for someone or something. Be on the lookout for signs of a storm, be on the alert for possible intruders.
The Free Dictionary
In Latin the exact verb you want is "circumspecto". Unfotunately it never became a verb in English—just an adjective, "circumspect." Still, you could just say something like, "One thing that made Mephistopheles such a sought-after safe-cracker was the fact that he always remained circumspect during the task. As a result of such broad and keen awareness, he had even managed to crack safes in the presence of periodically passing guards. Some even said he had eyes in the back of his head, but he later said that he simply had the neck of an owl."
Checking the coast is clear is a common idiom to describe this type of behaviour. The idiom comes from the time when boats were used for smuggling, and the smugglers obviously had to check the coast was clear; i.e. no-one was watching them.
Reconnoiter or reconnoitre as in military recon
I've always called that 'having a shuftie' where it's a single action, not an ongoing situation like a posted look-out. It can be and is used more innocently, but it's also employed when there is something a bit illicit about the look. Similar to 'squiz'. In cockney, it might be 'butcher's'( ..hook). It's the use of slang, especially in an otherwise slang-free sentence that might lend the dodgy tone to the word.
You could say they were scoping for onlookers. According to Oxford one definition for scope as a verb is:
North American informal Look at carefully; scan:
they watched him scoping the room, looking for Michael
"Watching vigilantly" is a possibility.
From Merriam-Webster:
VIGILANT
: alertly watchful especially to avoid danger
I agree that with Talmu* that it is the behaviour of the group (robbing or having sex) that is furtive, not the glances.
Another option is "keeping their eyes peeled". From Collins :
keep one's eyes peeled or keep one's eyes skinned
to watch vigilantly (for)
*see his comments on Jim Mack's answer.
In British English there is a colloquialism 'to case', but it suggests actions a little in advance of the nefarious activity to be performed. So if you were to rob a post office you might 'case' it the day before to get an idea of who comes and goes, likely problems, escape routes and so on. Perhaps this is not quite what you are after. You frequently here the cliched 'casing the joint' but more in jest than anything else.
