heave in sight

• heave into sight

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heave in sight (third-person singular simple present heaves in sight, present participle heaving in sight, simple past hove in sight, past participle hove in sight or hoven in sight)

1. (nautical) To appear at a distance, to emerge in the field of vision.
   • 1836, Frederick Marryat, The Pirate, chapter 7:

     The captain of the schooner is abaft with his glass in his hand, occasionally sweeping the offing in expectation of a vessel heaving in sight [...]

   • 1850, “The progress to Ostend”, in Punch:

     Till on Thursday at nine, to the joy of your friend, I was told we were heaving in sight of Ostend;
     And heaving in sight on't (yon won't feel a doubt of it) Was good news to one who 'd been long heaving out of it.

   • 1901, Joseph Conrad, Falk:

     The smoke of Falk's tug hove in sight, far away at the mouth of the river.

   • 1922, Rafael Sabatini, Captain Blood, Chapter XXVII:

     Having crossed the Caribbean in the teeth of contrary winds, it was not until the early days of April that the French fleet hove in sight of Cartagena […]

• heave in view; see also Thesaurus:appear