oversee

From Middle English overseen, ouverseen, from Old English ofersēon (“to observe, oversee; to overlook, neglect”), equivalent to over- +‎ see.

• IPA^(key): /əʊvə(ɹ)siː/
• Hyphenation: over‧see
• Rhymes: -iː
• Homophone: oversea

oversee (third-person singular simple present oversees, present participle overseeing, simple past oversaw, past participle overseen) (transitive)

1. (literally) To survey, look at something in a wide angle.
2. (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.

3. To inspect, examine

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

4. (obsolete) To fail to see; to overlook, ignore.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Qveene. […], London: Printed [by John Wolfe] for VVilliam Ponsonbie, OCLC 960102938, book II, canto IX:

     Thereat the Elfe did blush in priuitee, / And turnd his face away; but she the same / Dissembled faire, and faynd to ouersee.

5. To observe secretly or unintentionally.

• overseer
• oversight

• overlook
• overwatch

• see over