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oversee

 - 3 dictionary results

o⋅ver⋅see

  [oh-ver-see]
Use oversee in a Sentence
–verb (used with object), -saw, -seen, -see⋅ing.
1. to direct (work or workers); supervise; manage: He was hired to oversee the construction crews.
2. to see or observe secretly or unintentionally: We happened to oversee the burglar leaving the premises. He was overseen stealing the letters.
3. to survey or watch, as from a higher position.
4. to look over; examine; inspect.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME overseen, OE ofersēon. See over-, see 1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To oversee
o·ver·see   (ō'vər-sē')   
tr.v.   o·ver·saw (-sô'), o·ver·seen (-sēn'), o·ver·see·ing, o·ver·sees

  1. To watch over and direct; supervise. See Synonyms at supervise.

  2. To subject to scrutiny; examine or inspect.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

oversee 
O.E. oferseon "to look down upon, keep watch over," from ofer "over" + seon "to see" (see see). Meaning "to supervise" is attested from c.1449; overseer "superintendent" is from 1523. The verb lacks the double sense of similar overlook (q.v.), but this emerges in the noun form oversight, which means both "supervision, care management" (c.1300) and "fact of passing over without seeing" (1477).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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