1. Behold You can forget about this word completely. It is archaic, and virtually never used in modern English. 2. Observe This is a relatively formal word. It means to watch in a careful and often systematic way, or - more commonly - to notice or to make a remark. We don't use this word very much in everyday or conversational English. As with most Latin words, English speakers tend to avoid it in informal situations. 3. See and watch. These are two very important and basic words. 'See' is a sense. We have five senses - seeing, hearing, smelling, touching and tasting. If you are not blind and your eyes are open, you can see. Seeing is involuntary. 'Watch' is an action. It is a conscious activity. When you watch TV or watch a sports match, you do this voluntarily and with attention and concentration.