overlookn.
/ˈəʊvəlʊk/, U.S. /ˈoʊvərˌlʊk/ 1. A considering glance or look; a general survey, an overview; (also) inspection. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > a look or glance > [noun] > survey
overlook1584
survey1589
coup d'œil1739
periscope1825
eye sweep1833
oversight1889
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > a look or glance > [noun] > inspection
overview1598
overlook1865
1584 T. Lodge Delect. Hist. Forbonius & Prisceria (1853) 84 Our noble young gentleman, having past over many personages with a slight over looke.
1865 A. D. Whitney Gayworthys 147 This typified properly her social position of overlook and scrutiny.
1988 Ice Hockey News Rev. 19 Nov. 5/2 The big problem there, if you were to ask me to take an overlook of the situation, is that the administrators have a meeting amongst themselves and..waste too much time.
2. Originally and chiefly Jamaican. More fully overlook bean, †overlook pea. Any of several plants of the genus Canavalia (family Fabaceae ( Leguminosae)), esp. the jack bean, C. ensiformis, traditionally planted at the edge of crops in parts of the Caribbean and thought to protect them against theft and the evil eye.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular food plant or plant product > pulses or plants producing pulses > [noun] > bean > other types of bean-plant
horse-bean1684
Angola pea1756
pole bean1770
Congo pea1812
Canavalia1828
no-eye pea1837
overlook1837
bean-vine1838
asparagus-bean1856
sword-bean1875
jack bean1885
horse-gram1886
winged bean1910
tepary1912
adzuki1914
siratro1962
1837 J. Macfadyen Flora Jamaica I. 292 They are commonly planted, by the Negroes, along the margin of their provision grounds, from a superstitious notion..that the Overlook fulfils the part of a watchman, and..protects the provisions from plunder.
1871 C. Kingsley At Last II. xiii. 197 Here and there that pretty climbing vetch, the Overlook.
1914 C. V. Piper Forage Plants & their Culture xxiii. 550 In Jamaica, whence it first became well known, it [sc. the jack bean, Canavalia ensiformis] is called the horse bean or the overlook bean.
1920 W. Fawcett & A. B. Rendle Flora Jamaica IV. 62 C[anavalia] altissima..Overlook Bean.
1972 Funk's Standard Dict. Folklore 534/2 Jack bean..is often seen in Negro gardens in the West Indies and parts of the southern United States on climbing poles higher than any of the other poles in the garden. It is called the overlook, i.e. it is believed to act as watch and guard for the garden.
3. A failure to see or notice something; an oversight. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > carelessness > [noun] > negligence > oversight, omission, or negligence > instance of
oversight1531
overscape1581
overslip1584
preterition1609
neglect1611
inanimadvertence1656
inanimadversion1676
inadvertency1702
inadvertence1725
overlook1858
1858 G. Roy Generalship iii. 47 This yarn she had, by some overlook, left in the cat's way.
1887 T. Bayne in Athenæum 9 July 62/3 When his attention is thus called to a manifest overlook.
1897 R. Munro Prehist. Probl. 264 Simply an overlook on my part.
1906 N. Munro Night Alarm in Para Handy (1997) xvi. 71 By some overlook Macphail had left her with almost a full head of steam.
4. U.S. A (high) place affording a view of the scene below; a view from such a place.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > thing seen > place where view obtained > [noun] > place where view from a height obtained
overlook1861
Skylon1965
1861 L. L. Noble After Icebergs 37 Paths wound among rocky notches and grassy chasms, and led out to dizzy ‘over-looks’, and ‘short-offs’.
1884 Literary World (Boston) 23 Feb. 51/3 High overlooks upon the smiling valley.
1914 H. Palmer Mountaineering & Explor. Selkirks 122 Beyond the cleft, Beaver Overlook and the upper Beaver valley were imposingly in view.
1956 R. J. Peterson & J. Fisher Wild Amer. vi. 65 We stopped at the overlooks—lay-bys, James called them—where from the western rim we could look out over the lush farmlands.
2003 Record (Bergen County, New Jersey) (Nexis) 30 Jan. 2 As the trail bends to the left, a short path to the right leads to an overlook above an abandoned quarry.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
overlookv.
/ˌəʊvəˈlʊk/, U.S. /ˌoʊvərˈlʊk/ 1.
a. transitive. To look upon from above; to survey; to view openly. Frequently in passive. Also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (transitive)] > look down upon
overseeOE
overlooka1400
overview1564
pretergress1615
supervise1624
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Trin. Cambr.) 8211 God þat al haþ to kepe And al ouerlokeþ [a1400 Vesp. for-lokes; a1400 Fairf. ordens] in his siȝt.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 648/1 I overlooke, je regarde par dessus.
1593 W. Shakespeare Venus & Adonis sig. Biiijv The shadow had forsooke them, And Titan..With burning eye did hotly ouer-looke them. View more context for this quotation
1631 T. May tr. J. Barclay Mirrour of Mindes i. 284 From hence, hee..began with a scornefull pride to ouerlooke the wealth of Europe.
1669 J. Dryden Wild Gallant iii. i. 29 Have you no more manners then to overlook a man when he's a Writing?
1741–3 J. Wesley Extract of Jrnl. (1749) 60 At dinner their little table, and chairs were set..where they could be overlooked.
1777 W. Hamilton Acct. Discov. Pompeii 8 The windows were placed too high for any one in the streets to overlook them.
1852 I. Pfeiffer Journey Iceland 32 I went on deck and overlooked the boundless waters.
1886 R. L. Stevenson Strange Case Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde x. 129 The news that the murder had been overlooked, that the guilt of Hyde was patent to the world.
1977 B. Bainbridge Injury Time (1978) v. 53 Edward made me draw the shutters... He doesn't like being overlooked.
1997 R.-M. Rejouis & V. Vinokurov tr. P. Chamoiseau Texaco (1998) 41 From there she overlooked the fields, the pasture, the small coffee shrubs.
b. transitive. Of a place, etc.: to afford or command a view of.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > thing seen > place where view obtained > have view of [verb (transitive)]
prospect1555
overview1564
overlook1632
command1697
the world > space > relative position > high position > set in a high position [verb (transitive)] > occupy a height over or dominate
overstandeOE
overview1564
domain1589
command1610
supervise1624
overlook1632
domineer1812
overgaze1816
see1829
dominate1833
rake1842
overbendc1886
1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. x. 494 Goatfield Hill..ouer-looketh our Westerne Continent.
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Æneis vii, in tr. Virgil Wks. 420 The Stygian Fury to the Trojans flies: New Frauds invents, and takes a steepy Stand, Which overlooks the Vale with wide Command.
1756 C. Lucas Ess. Waters iii. 259 The pump room windows overlook the King's Bath.
1792 M. Wollstonecraft Vindic. Rights Woman xii. 378 The tyrant of this domain used to sit by a window that overlooked the prison yard.
1818 M. W. Shelley Frankenstein II. ii. 12 I sat upon the rock that overlooks the sea of ice.
1895 Sc. Antiquary 10 80 The brow of the hill overlooking the Nairn valley.
1951 R. Campbell Light on Dark Horse ii. 29 This roof-garden overlooked our fig tree.
1988 Hamilton (Ont.) Spectator 19 Apr. a1/6 The top of Mount Royal..overlooks Montreal and the surrounding area.
2. transitive. To look (a thing) over or through; to examine, scrutinize, inspect; to peruse, read through.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > enquiry > investigation, inspection > investigate, examine [verb (transitive)] > look through, examine
oversee1348
searcha1387
laita1400
overlooka1400
to look overc1400
to run through ——c1449
oversearch1532
overview1549
tumble1597
coursea1616
perquest1892
a1400 Siege Jerusalem (Laud) (1932) 962 (MED) Þe lord vnlappeþ þe lef, þis letres byholdeþ, Ouer-lokeþ [v.rr. loketh; radde ouer] ech a lyne to þe last ende.
c1450 ( G. Chaucer Bk. Duchess 232 Whan I had red thys tale wel, And overloked hyt everydel.
a1456 J. Shirley in E. P. Hammond Eng. Verse Between Chaucer & Surrey (1927) 196 Ye haue þis booke ouerlooked, Þe right lynes with þe crooked.
1546 Supplic. Poor Commons sig. a.vii Your highnesse..appoynted two of them to ouer loke the translation of the bible.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Two Gentlemen of Verona (1623) i. ii. 50 And yet I would I had ore-look'd the Letter. View more context for this quotation
1624 W. Laud Diary 21 Dec. in Hist. Troubles (1695) 14 My Lord sent him to me to overlook the Articles.
a1690 S. Jeake Λογιστικηλογία (1696) 249 I have..transited Decimals..and shall now..overlook Logarithmes.
a1713 T. Ellwood Hist. Life (1714) 260 To take a journey into Kent and Sussex, to Accompt with their Tenants, and overlook their Estates.
1744–91 J. Wesley Wks. (1872) VIII. 319 To over-look the accounts of all the Stewards.
1793 Sporting Mag. 2 160/1 The Duke..overlooked his cards, and..begged one, which was granted, though he held the ace, deuce, and jack of trumps.
1870 W. C. Bryant tr. Homer Iliad I. iv. 115 Carefully O'erlooked the wound and cleansed it from the blood.
1926 G. Clapperton & R. H. Clapperton Pract. Paper-making (ed. 3) ii. 10 The rags..are usually overlooked again..to ensure the further removal of contraries and buttons.
1976 Nation (Bridgetown, Barbados) 20 June 7 The youngster overlooked my friend's expensive American car with admiration and asked ‘How many yards to the gallon?’
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > hold in contempt [verb (transitive)]
forhowc900
overhowOE
withhuheOE
forhecchec1230
scorna1275
despise1297
spise13..
to set at a pease, at a pie's heel, at a pin's fee1303
to hold, have scorn at, ofc1320
to think scorn ofc1320
to set short by1377
to tell short of1377
to set naught or nought (nothing, not anything) by1390
spitea1400
contemnc1425
nought1440
overlooka1450
mainprizec1450
lightly1451
vilipendc1470
indeign1483
misprize1483
dain?1518
to look down on (also upon)1539
floccipend1548
contempta1555
to take scorn ata1566
embase1577
sdeign1590
disesteem1594
vilify1599
to set lightly, coldly1604
disrepute1611
to hold cheapa1616
avile1616
floccify1623
meprize1633
to think (also believe, etc.) meanly of1642
publican1648
naucify1653
disesteem1659
invalue1673
to set light, at light1718
sneeze1806
sniff1837
derry1896
to hold no brief for1918
a1450 (c1412) T. Hoccleve De Regimine Principum (Harl. 4866) (1897) 429 Þogh he iette forth a-mong þe prees And ouer loke euerey pore wight His cofre and eke his purs ben penylees.
c1475 (c1399) Mum & Sothsegger (Cambr. Ll.4.14) (1936) ii. 35 (MED) Thus leuerez ouere-loked ȝoure liegis ichonne.
a1535 T. More Dialoge of Comfort (1553) ii. xvii. sig. L.iii An whole floud of all vnhappy mischief, arrogant maner..ouerloking ye poore in worde and countenaunce.
1646 H. Lawrence Of Communion & Warre with Angels 170 To be supercilious, to overlooke men, and little things.
1794 G. Adams Lect. Nat. & Exper. Philos. II. xxi. 469 The success of the present age..is very apt to elate the minds of men, and make them overlook the ancients.
4. † b. transitive (reflexive). To fail to perceive one's duty; to forget oneself. Cf. oversee v. 7. Obsolete.
a. transitive. To fail to see or observe; to pass over without noticing; to leave out of consideration, disregard, ignore.In quot. 1459: to turn a blind eye to (a person doing something irregular); with infinitive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > carelessness > be careless or heedless of [verb (transitive)] > overlook inadvertently
overseeOE
overlook1459
overscape1534
forget1538
overhale1571
to look beside1627
miss1666
underlook1802
the mind > attention and judgement > inattention > ignoring, disregard > ignore, disregard [verb (transitive)]
fordita800
forheedc1275
forget1297
to let out ofa1300
spele1338
to go beside ——a1382
waivec1400
remiss?a1425
to go by ——?c1450
misknowledge?a1475
misknow1483
misken1494
to go besides ——1530
to let pass1530
unregard1545
unmind1562
overlook1570
mislippen1581
suspend1581
omit1589
blanch1605
to blow off1631
disregard1641
to pass with ——1641
to give (a person or thing) the go-by1654
prescind1654
nihilify1656
proscribe1680
unnotice1776
ignore1795
to close one's mind1797
cushion1818
to leave out in the cold1839
overslaugh1846
unheed1847
to write off1861
to look through ——1894
scrub1943
1459 in C. Innes & P. Chalmers Liber S. Thome de Aberbrothoc (1856) II. 107 Owr predecessoris owrlukyt and tholyt the smyth tyll byg ane smyde in the moss becaus of his..fuell that was necessar to his office.
1524 Queen Margaret Let. to Henry VIII (Calig. B.i) f. 216v Wylke wol be grett danger to ye Kyng my sonis parson, and thys tyme be owr lokyd.
1570 in J. Cranstoun Satirical Poems Reformation (1891) I. xvi. 9 Our Lordis ar blinde and dois ouerluik it.
1650 in A. Macdonald & J. Dennistoun Misc. Maitland Club (1840) II. 484 God having..furnished him with resolutione to overlook the reproches of men, and to behold him for whois caus he suffered.
1692 R. Bentley Boyle Lect. v. 6 He over-looks those gross Absurdities, that are so conspicuous in it.
1761 D. Hume Hist. Eng. to Henry VII I. iii. 98 The French..found it prudent to overlook this insult.
1829 K. H. Digby Broad Stone of Honour: Godefridus xx. 240 Agesilaus punished great men for the same faults which he overlooked in their inferiors.
1872 C. H. Spurgeon Treasury of David III. Ps. lxvi. 7 He oversees all and overlooks none.
1947 J. Steinbeck Pearl i. 3 The early pigs were already beginning their ceaseless turning of twigs and bits of wood to see whether anything to eat had been overlooked.
1990 Country Walking Jan. 43 (heading) The area around Aberfeldy in Scotland is often overlooked by walkers.
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > duty or obligation > recognition of duty > undutifulness > fail to perceive one's duty [verb (reflexive)]
overlook1724
1724 Duke of Wharton True Briton No. 65. ¶3 Vex'd that I..should have overlook'd myself so far as to have given any Room [etc.].
5. transitive. To watch over officially, look after, oversee. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > control > [verb (transitive)] > superintend
overseec1330
overwaitc1449
overlook1532
supervise1566
superintend1596
supravise1604
supervise1653
superinspect1675
intend1791
targe1814
oversight1885
overseer1892
honcho1957
1532 (c1385) Usk's Test. Loue in Wks. G. Chaucer i. f. cccxxix So many let games and purpose brekers ben maked wayters, suche prisoners as I am euermore to ouerloke and to hynder.
1605 Famous Hist. Capt. Stukeley sig. Lv And least they loyter we our selfe in person, Will ouerlook them.
1650 Earl of Monmouth tr. J. F. Senault Man become Guilty 340 He was overlooking his harvest men..judging their labour by their sheaves.
1744 D. Garrick Let. 16 Sept. (1963) I. 44 I called often at his house to overlook his servants, and preach up order, œconomy, and care to them.
1798 G. Washington Writings (1893) XIV. 85 For overlooking this farm I would stretch the wages to £45.
1848 G. C. Furber Twelve Months Volunteer 292 This is prefecto... It is this officer's duty..to overlook the alcaldes in their administration of justice.
1879 Temple Bar 55 453 You must find some one else to overlook the beamers.
1908 M. D. Harris in Coventry Leet Bk. 284 The mayor to be compelled by oath to overlook [L. supervidendum] the wall, that no one move earth from it, or 20s fine.
1950 Packaging (Anglo-Amer. Council on Productivity) in Webster's Dict. Eng. Usage (1989) 704/1 The operators ‘overlook’ the machines.
a. transitive. To look over the top of (something) so as to see what is beyond. Also figurative. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > see [verb (transitive)] > look over or beyond
overlook1559
outsee1642
outlook1653
1559 J. Heywood tr. Seneca Troas v. sig. F.i Some on the rockes a tiptoe stande to ouerlooke the rest.
1559–60 Cott. Libr. Cal. B. ix Use ws as a fote stole to overloke ȝow.
1610 J. Guillim Display of Heraldrie ii. vii. 71 The walles of Townes were but low,..the walles of Winchester..were ouerlooked by Colebrand the Chieftaine of the Danes.
1636 S. Rutherford Lett. (1863) I. 160 If great men be kind to you, I pray you overlook them;..Christ but borroweth their face to smile through them upon His afflicted servant.
1863 N. Hawthorne Our Old Home II. 21 The wall was just too high to be overlooked.
b. transitive. figurative. To rise above; to be higher than. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > vertical extent > make high(er) [verb (transitive)] > exceed in height
surmountc1374
overpassa1400
passc1400
overpeer1565
overcrop1567
overlook1567
overtop1578
top1582
superate1599
overtip?a1607
over-heighten?1611
out-topa1672
overtower1812
1567 G. Turberville Time Conquereth in Epit., Epigr. 70 b It makes the Oke to ouerlooke the slender shrubs bylow.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Henry V (1623) iii. v. 9 Our Syens..Spirt vp so suddenly into the Clouds, And ouer-looke their Grafters. View more context for this quotation
1671 R. Bohun Disc. Wind 64 The Peruvian [mountains], and some others which may be reckon'd as the Extravagancys of Nature..overlook the Clouds.
1700 J. Dryden tr. Homer 1st Bk. Ilias in Fables 218 The laughing Nectar overlook'd the Lid.
1748 T. Smollett Roderick Random I. iii. 13 A..hat whose crown over-looked the brims about an inch and a half.
7. transitive. To cast the evil eye on; to bewitch. Now chiefly regional.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > the occult > sorcery, witchcraft, or magic > enchantment or casting spells > [verb (transitive)] > put an evil spell on > bewitch with evil eye
overlook1579
eye-bite1584
fascinate1591
forelook1596
oversee1641
blink1880
1579 [implied in: T. Lupton Thousand Notable Things vi. 140 Women that haue double apples in theyr eyes, or strales: do euery where hurt with their looking (Which is called of some ouerlooking). (at overlooking n.)].
1600 W. Shakespeare Merchant of Venice iii. ii. 15 Beshrow your eyes, They haue ore-lookt me and deuided me. View more context for this quotation
a1616 W. Shakespeare Merry Wives of Windsor (1623) v. v. 82 Vilde worme, thou wast ore-look'd euen in thy birth.
1651 tr. J. Kitchin Jurisdictions 406 Embraceor is he which comes to the Bar with the party, and speaks in the matter, or is there to overlook the Jury, or to put them in fear.
1698 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 20 51 They..told them, they were Over-look'd by some unlucky Person.
1742 M. Jones Let. June in Misc. in Prose & Verse (1750) 396 Whether any evil Eyes have been upon me, I cant tell; but theres an old Lady over the way, I a little suspect, who has very bad ones; and Im pretty sure Ive been overlookd by her twenty times.
1825 Sporting Mag. 16 342 ‘I wish’, said the man, ‘we may not be overlooked’.
1887 A. Jessopp Arcady ii. 59 [The] firm belief in being ‘overlooked’ is very much more common..than is generally supposed.
1895 F. T. Elworthy Evil Eye i. 11 In England, of all animals the pig is oftenest ‘overlooked’.
1928 A. E. Pease Dict. Dial. N. Riding Yorks. 91/2 Owerleuk, to overlook in the sense of to bewitch.
1954 Caribbean Q. 3 i. 5 A baby that has been overlooked will begin to pine away, and must be given certain herb remedies—among others, tea made from the overlook bean.
1994 R. Davies Cunning Man 465 If somebody had overlooked your cattle he could take off the spell, and maybe track down the overlooker.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > thing seen > appearance or aspect > have (specific) appearance [verb (transitive)] > look more than
overlook1822
1822 Ld. Byron Let. 23 Sept. (1979) IX. 213 My mind misgives me that it [sc. the bust] is hideously like. If it is—I can not be long for this world—for it overlooks seventy.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2004; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.1584
v.a1400