Overlook vs. Oversee

Overlooknoun

A vista or point that gives a beautiful view.

Overseeverb

(literally) To survey, look at something in a wide angle.

Overlookverb

To offer a view (of something) from a higher position.

‘Our hotel room overlooks the lake.’;

Overseeverb

(figuratively) To supervise, guide, review or direct the actions of a person or group.

‘It is congress's duty to oversee the spending of federal funds.’;

Overlookverb

To fail to notice; to look over and beyond (anything) without seeing it.

‘These errors were overlooked by the proofreaders.’;

Overseeverb

To inspect, examine

‘Gamekeepers oversee a hunting ground to see to the wildlife's welfare and look for poachers.’;

Overlookverb

To pretend not to have noticed (something, especially a mistake or flaw); to pass over (something) without censure or punishment.

‘I’m not willing to overlook such bad behaviour.’;

Overseeverb

(obsolete) To fail to see; to overlook, ignore.

Overlookverb

(dated) To look down upon (something) from a place that is over or above.

‘to overlook a valley from a hill’;

Overseeverb

To observe secretly or unintentionally.

Overlookverb

(archaic) To supervise, oversee; to watch over.

‘to overlook a gang of laborers; to overlook one who is writing a letter’;

Overseeverb

To superintend; to watch over; to direct; to look or see after; to overlook{2}.

Overlookverb

(archaic) To observe or watch (someone or something) surreptitiously or secretly.

Overseeverb

To omit or neglect seeing; to overlook{5}.

Overlookverb

(archaic) To inspect (something); to examine; to look over carefully or repeatedly.

Overseeverb

To see unintentionally or unexpectedly; - the visual analogy to overhear.

Overlookverb

(archaic) To look upon with an evil eye; to bewitch by looking upon; to fascinate. en

Overseeverb

To see too or too much; hence, to be deceived.

‘The most expert gamesters may sometimes oversee.’; ‘Your partiality to me is much overseen, if you think me fit to correct your Latin.’;

Overlookverb

To look down upon from a place that is over or above; to look over or view from a higher position; to be situated above, so as to command a view of; as, to overlook a valley from a hill; a hotel room that overlooks the marketplace.

‘[Titan] with burning eye did hotly overlook them.’;

Overseeverb

watch and direct;

‘Who is overseeing this project?’;

Overlookverb

Hence: To supervise; to watch over; sometimes, to observe secretly; as, to overlook a gang of laborers; to overlook one who is writing a letter.

Overseeverb

supervise (a person or their work), especially in an official capacity

‘the Home Secretary oversees the police service’;

Overlookverb

To inspect; to examine; to look over carefully or repeatedly.

‘The time and care that are requiredTo overlook and file and polish well.’;

Overlookverb

To look upon with an evil eye; to bewitch by looking upon; to fascinate.

‘If you trouble me I will overlook you, and then your pigs will die.’;

Overlookverb

To look over and beyond (anything) without seeing it; to miss or omit in looking; to fail to notice; to fail to observe; as, to overlook a mistake in addition; to overlook a missing bolt.

Overlookverb

To refrain from bestowing notice or attention upon; to disregard or deliberately ignore; to pass over without censure or punishment; to excuse or pardon (a fault, error, or misdeed).

‘The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked.’; ‘They overlook truth in the judgments they pass.’; ‘The pardoning and overlooking of faults.’;

Overlooknoun

a high place affording a good view

Overlookverb

look past, fail to notice

Overlookverb

be oriented in a certain direction;

‘The house looks out on a tennis court’; ‘The apartment overlooks the Hudson’;

Overlookverb

leave undone or leave out;

‘How could I miss that typo?’; ‘The workers on the conveyor belt miss one out of ten’;

Overlookverb

look down on;

‘The villa dominates the town’;

Overlookverb

watch over;

‘I am overlooking her work’;

Overlookverb

fail to notice

‘he seems to have overlooked one important fact’;

Overlookverb

ignore or disregard (something, especially a fault or offence)

‘she was more than ready to overlook his faults’;

Overlookverb

pass over (someone) in favour of another

‘he was overlooked by the Nobel committee’;

Overlookverb

have a view of from above

‘the chateau overlooks fields of corn and olive trees’;

Overlookverb

(of a place) be open to view and so lack privacy

‘it's better if the property isn't overlooked’;

Overlookverb

supervise

‘he was overlooking his harvest men’;

Overlookverb

bewitch with the evil eye

‘they told them they were overlooked by some unlucky Person’;

Overlooknoun

a commanding position or view

‘the overlook to the townsite’;