overlook
Verboverlooks, overlooking, overlooked
Noun pluraloverlooks
Formsoverlooks, overlooking, overlooked
Pluraloverlooks
- 1
- 2To let a mistake go without punishing it or making a fuss.
Like a parent who sees a small mess but lets it slide.
The teacher decided to overlook his lateness just this once.
Her boss overlooked the small error and moved on.
Similarignore, disregard, discount, neglect
Oppositepunish, penalize, criticize
Note
- 3
- 4To look down at something from a higher place.
Like an eagle high in the sky watching the ground below.
From the cliff, hikers overlook the whole bay.
A guard overlooks the courtyard from the high tower.
Similarsurvey
Note
- 5
- 6To watch over and manage people or work.
Like a team leader who keeps an eye on everyone's work.
The steward would overlook the workers in the fields all day.
His sole child, my lord, and bequeathed to my overlooking.
c. 1604, William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”Here, overlooking means watching over and caring for, as a guardian would.Note
- 7To watch someone secretly without them knowing.
Like peeking at someone through a keyhole.
He would overlook his neighbors from behind the curtain.
She overlooked the meeting through a crack in the door.
Note
- 8To look at something closely in order to check it.
Like checking your homework line by line before handing it in.
The merchant would overlook each coin before accepting it.
Now when he had ouerlooked his armie ouer euerie side, he paused awhile, and after with a lowd voice and bold spirit spake to his companions these, or the like words following.
1587, Raphael Holinshed et al., “Richard the third”Here, ouerlooked means looked over carefully, checking his army on every side.Similarexamine, inspect, check, study, analyze
Note
- 9To give someone bad luck by looking at them with an evil eye.
Like the old idea of bringing someone bad luck just by staring at them.
The villagers feared the old woman could overlook their cattle.
They believed she had overlooked the child, who then fell ill.
Note
Showing meanings only.
Practice
Can you tell the meanings of overlook apart? Answer 4 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.
Origin
From an older English word 'overloken', made from 'over-' plus 'look'.