oversightn.
/ˈəʊvəsʌɪt/, U.S. /ˈoʊvərˌsaɪt/ΘΚΠ
society > authority > control > [noun] > superintendence
oversighta1400
surviewc1421
supervisionc1475
supervisorship1482
survey1535
surveying1538
superintendence1559
superintendency1579
superinspection1617
supervising1634
intendment1638
supravision1642
surintendency1650
supervisal1652
supervisure1690
intendancy1727
surintendence1744
supervisance1816
overseering1854
overseeing1890
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 27094 Min on his ouer-sight [a1400 Fairf. ouersiȝt] Þat al wranges has to right.
b. A view from above; a panoramic view; a prospect. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > a look or glance > [noun] > survey
overlook1584
survey1589
coup d'œil1739
periscope1825
eye sweep1833
oversight1889
1889 F. E. Gretton Memory's Harkback 291 You have a closer and more direct oversight of the home, or Herefordshire, view.
1992 Gibbons Stamp Monthly Mar. 72/1 This set [of stamps]..provides you with an oversight of rhododendrons themselves which is probably unrivalled on the stamps of any country.
2. † b. A comprehensive examination or analysis; a survey. Obsolete. rare.
a. The action of overseeing something; supervision, inspection; authority, management; (also occasionally) an instance of this. Also: supervisory responsibility or authority; custodianship, charge (esp. in to have (the) oversight of).
ΚΠ
1413 in F. A. Page-Turner Bedfordshire Wills (1914) 20 (MED) I wolle þat..my Executours..ben resonnablich rewardede by ye ouersyȝt of my lordes þe surveours aboue written.
1427–8 in J. A. Kingdon Arch. Worshipful Company of Grocers (1886) I. 168 (MED) Item, For diuerse costis i doon be our maistir William Cambrigge and vs for diuerse necessaries and drinkyngs, rewards and ouersightes of the maistres masons and carpenters and werkmen.
a1500 ( in C. Monro Lett. Margaret of Anjou (1863) 18 Send sum trusty man for to go with hem, that may have the oversighte & gouveurnance of hem alle.
1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection iii. sig. KKiiiv To haue ye ouersight & instruction of nouices.
1584 R. Hakluyt in Writings & Corresp. (1935) 293 His sufficiencie hath so greately advaunced him, that the kinge hath geven him the oversighte of all the pilotts that saile to the west Indies.
1607 J. Cowell Interpreter sig. X3v/1 Deciners..signifieth..such as were wont to haue the ouersight and checke of ten friburgs, for the maintenance of the kings peace.
1647 N. Bacon Hist. Disc. Govt. 36 The smallest precinct was that of the Parish, the oversight whereof was the Presbyters work.
1694 E. Chamberlayne Angliæ Notitia (ed. 18) ii. xv. 218 He hath also the oversight of..Handicrafts, and Artisans..in the King's Service.
1728 E. Chambers Cycl. at Assizer An Officer who has the Care and Oversight of those Matters.
1803 J. Bunting Let. 13 Dec. in T. P. Bunting Life Jabez Bunting (1859) I. xi. 220 That ministerial pastorship and oversight of the flock, which the New Testament enjoins as universally necessary.
1832 E. C. Wines Two Years & Half in Navy I. 30 The lieutenant on duty..is responsible for the deck while he has charge of it, and has also to take a general oversight of the ship.
1935 F. H. Hayward Alfred the Great xii. 81 There was no centralised mint and probably little centralised oversight.
1995 Times Educ. Suppl. 10 Feb. 18/1 Longer-term discontent will be subject to the oversight of an ombudsman.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > literature > prose > non-fiction > survey > [noun]
oversight1550
surveya1568
insight1581
theoric1588
view1604
compact1644
grand tour1793
overview1916
1550 J. Hooper (title) An ouersighte and deliberacion vppon the holy prophet Ionas.
3.
a. The action of passing over something without seeing or noticing it; unintentional failure to notice or act on something; the fact of having been overlooked or neglected in this way; negligence, inadvertence.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > carelessness > [noun] > negligence > oversight, omission, or negligence
oversight1477
overslippinga1522
negligency1607
preterition1609
undersight1894
1477 Rolls of Parl. VI. 176/1 Youre seid suppliant, of grete oversight of him self and simplenesse, did and committed ayenst youre Highnes grete tresons and offences.
?1534 L. Cox tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Epist. Paule vnto Titus Ded. f. xxvi Suche faultes as were therin eyther by the printers neglygence or myne ouersyght.
1582 R. Mulcaster 1st Pt. Elementarie xvii Whereby it appeareth, that no consonant can be dubled in the end of a word..: and that therefor the dubling of the last syllab is mere ouersight.
1612 W. Strachey Lawes in P. Force Tracts (1844) III. ii. 50 Hee is to see each souldiers armes cleanly kept, and seruiceable, and if default be, he is to reprooue the corporall for his negligence in the ouer-sight of that dutie.
1676 W. Temple Let. to Ambassadors France in Wks. (1731) II. 406 It is all rather owing to Oversight, than to any ill Intention.
1706 Phillips's New World of Words (new ed.) at Huff At..Draughts to Huff is to take up and blow off a Man, that the Adversary by oversight let slip from taking another.
1766 Life Quin (1887) xii. 48 Many mistakes which our immortal bard Shakespeare had by oversight, or the volatileness of his genius, suffered to creep into his works.
1868 E. Edwards Life Sir W. Ralegh I. xxv. 600 A similar piece of oversight had befallen one of the captains.
1927 Public Opinion 8 Apr. 329/2 The generous-hearted demand that we accord to China the recognition due to a modern nation is sometimes made in oversight of the fundamental elements in the problem.
1992 Matrix Fall 8/1 Was such misconstruction the result of simple oversight or of guile?
b. An accidental omission; a mistake made through inadvertence or negligence. Also: a person who or thing which is passed over.
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
the mind > language > statement > refusal > [noun] > rejection or non-acceptance > that which is rejected or refused > person that is rejected
offcasta1387
oversight1531
retraict1575
rejected1593
reject1917
unwanted1932
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > lack of truth, falsity > an error, mistake > [noun] > of inadvertence
oversight1531
overslip1584
scape1669
bevue1716
escape1844
Freudian slip1959
1531 St. German's Secunde Dyaloge Doctour & Student (new ed.) xlii. f. cviiv He shall answere as well for an vntrouthe in any suche clerke as for an ouer syght.
1565 J. Jewel Replie Hardinges Answeare To Rdr. ⁋3v To consider better the ouersightes, and scapes of his former Booke.
1613 S. Purchas Pilgrimage 595 Oversights of Writers, through negligence or ignorance in forren names.
1667 S. Pepys Diary 31 Jan. (1974) VIII. 38 There being several horrible oversights to the prejudice of the King.
1748 B. Robins & R. Walter Voy. round World by Anson Introd. sig. dv In so complicated a work, some oversights must have been committed.
1773 T. Percy Let. 3 June in Percy Lett. (1954) IV. 130 I regret that I was not present when your Amanuensis transcribed your Copies for the Press, as I see many oversights in consequence of his not being sufficiently conversant with the old hand-writing.
1836 T. B. Macaulay in G. O. Trevelyan Life & Lett. Macaulay (1876) I. vi. 453 There is an oversight in the article on Bacon, which I shall be much obliged to you to correct.
1865 J. B. Lightfoot Comm. Gal. (1874) 121 It [sc. the omission] may have been an oversight.
1914 Eng. Hist. Rev. Jan. 135 He is apt to attribute to his opponents stupendous oversights and elementary misunderstandings.
2000 S. Kinsells Secret Dreamworld of Shopaholic viii. 126 Unfortunately, although this cheque is signed, it appears to be dated 14 February 2200. No doubt just an oversight on your part.
Compounds
oversight committee n. Politics (chiefly U.S.) a committee appointed to supervise or inspect government operations, esp. the spending of Federal funds; a committee with similar responsibilities in another country.
ΚΠ
1976 Washington Post 19 Apr. a4/5 The back~room view in the White House is that there should be a single oversight committee on Capitol Hill to answer the clamor for corrective action.
1993 Economist (BNC) Though the Bundestag now has a European oversight committee, it is weakened by the jealousies of members of existing committees.
1994 Amer. Spectator Oct. 67/1 The sole incorruptible cog in the machinery of power, who slips out of gear and reveals to the good guys of a congressional oversight committee the hopeless corruption all around him.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
oversightv.
/ˈəʊvəsʌɪt/, U.S. /ˈoʊvərˌsaɪt/ 1. intransitive. To make a mistake through negligence or omission. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > carelessness > be careless or negligent [verb (intransitive)] > omit doing or to do something through carelessness > commit an oversight
oversight1613
1613 F. Robartes Revenue of Gospel To Rdr. 143 The Printer hath faulted a little; it may be the author ouersighted more.
2001 Daily Record (Glasgow) (Nexis) 28 Nov. 23 I am sure you have just oversighted and that you will pay the funds.
2. transitive. To oversee; to supervise. Esp. in later use, with reference to a committee which has responsibility for or authority over an institution, agency, etc.; cf. oversight committee n. at oversight n. Compounds.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > control > [verb (transitive)] > superintend
overseec1330
overwaitc1449
overlook1532
supervise1566
superintend1596
supravise1604
supervise1653
superinspect1675
intend1791
targe1814
oversight1885
overseer1892
honcho1957
1885 Brit. Architect 31 July 54/1 We have clear enough record of certain men who paid wages, or oversighted workmen.
1938 W. H. Brown Brighton's Co-operative Advance 1828–1938 xiii. 134 Mr. Whitehouse..has oversighted the expanding activities with ardour and capacity.
1976 Indiana (Pa.) Evening Gaz. 16 Sept. 2/3 The 15 agencies which have oversighted the construction industry have been cut to five.
1997 K. J. Breen et al. Ethics, Law & Med. Pract. xiv. 170 Most doctors therefore appreciate the central role of pharmacists in the health care team in dispensing and oversighting the safe and effective use of drugs.
2001 New Statesman 23 July 39/3 The detention centres are not concealed, but are oversighted and visited by parliamentary committees, government organisations such as the ombudsman, international bodies and various non-governmental organisations.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2004; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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