overlook

plural overlooks

1. A vista or point that gives a view down toward something else.

   Normally a visitor does not participate in one activity to the exclusion of others. One main activity, such as swimming, will be supplemented by other activities and use of other facilities, such as picnicking, hiking, stopping at an overlook, and so forth.

   1980, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (N.R.A.), General Management Plan

present singular third person overlooks · participle present overlooking · participle past overlooked · past overlooked

1. To offer a view (of something) from a higher position.

   Our hotel room overlooks the lake.

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   […] I took my Gun, and went on Shore, climbing up upon a Hill, which seem’d to over-look that Point, where I saw the full Extent of it, and resolv’d to venture.

   1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC, page 163

   Swinging sharply westwards, it emerges on to the Undercliff, overlooking the English Channel. St. Lawrence Station is very prettily situated, high cliffs on the left, and the lush vegetation of the Undercliff sloping down to the sea on the right.

   1946 July and August, K. Westcott Jones, “Isle of Wight Central Railway—2”, in Railway Magazine, page 244

   […] she saw a figure standing by the rail of the balcony that overlooked the backyard.

   1950, Nevil Shute, chapter 6, in A Town Like Alice, London: Heinemann, published 1952, page 188

2. To fail to notice; to look over and beyond (anything) without seeing it.

   These errors were overlooked by the proofreaders.

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   Let not thy Garden be without this herbe Humilitie. It may be least respected with men; and among other herbs ouerlooked; but most acceptable to God.

   1616, Thomas Adams, “Hysope and Humilitie”, in A Divine Herball, London: John Budge

   We are more apt to over-look in any subject, what is trivial, than what appears of considerable moment […]

   1739, [David Hume], A Treatise of Human Nature: […], book II (Of the Passions), London: […] John Noon, […], →OCLC, part II (Of Love and Hatred), page 118

   4. They require that the personages in a tale, both dead and alive, shall exhibit a sufficient excuse for being there. But this detail also has been overlooked in the Deerslayer tale.

   1895 July, Mark Twain, “Fenimore Cooper’s Literary Offenses”, in North American Review

   The place had been already searched and emptied. In the bar I afterwards found some biscuits and sandwiches that had been overlooked.

   1895–1897, H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells, chapter VII, in The War of the Worlds, London: William Heinemann, published 1898, →OCLC, (please specify the page number(s))

   White, too, overlooks the mate in two, starting with 21.QxP†.

   1954 January, Hans Kmoch, “Games from Recent Events”, in Chess Review

   Synonyms: misheed, ignore, misheed, misregard, miss, overpass, oversee

3. To pretend not to have noticed (something, especially a mistake or flaw); to pass over (something) without censure or punishment.

   I’m not willing to overlook such bad behaviour.

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   1615, Joseph Hall, Contemplations vpon the Principal Passages of the Holie Historie, London: Nathanael Butter and William Butler, Volume 3, “Ehud and Eglon,” page 48, Euery circumstance is full of improbabilities: Faith euermore ouerlookes the difficulties of the way, & bends her eyes onely to the certainty of the end.

   Tho’ Miss Bridget was a Woman of the greatest Delicacy of Taste; yet such were the Charms of the Captain’s Conversation, that she totally overlooked the Defects of his Person.

   1749, Henry Fielding, chapter 11, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book I, page 41

   “Mr. Elton’s manners are not perfect,” replied Emma; “but where there is a wish to please, one ought to overlook, and one does overlook a great deal.”

   1815 December (indicated as 1816), [Jane Austen], chapter 13, in Emma: […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] [Charles Roworth and James Moyes] for John Murray, →OCLC

   Indeed, I have been a complete ass, and I know it. Will you overlook it this once and forgive me, and let things go on as before?

   1908 October, Kenneth Grahame, chapter 1, in The Wind in the Willows, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC

   It also means that when a right-wing Jewish group such as the ZOA chooses to overlook [Steve] Bannon's well-documented links to anti-Semitic white nationalists, it puts itself on a moral par with J.V.P. Bannon is the man who expressly called Breitbart News "the platform for the alt-right," knowing full-well the toxic range of opinion encompassed by the term.

   2017 November 16, Bret Stephens, “Steve Bannon is Bad for the Jews”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 18 Nov 2017

   Synonyms: take no notice of, brush off, discount, disregard, dissemble, despise, ignore, misheed

4. To look down upon from above or from a higher location.

   The hill overlooks the valley.

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   There was not farre fro thence / About the middle of the Laund a rising ground, from whence / A man might ouerlooke the fieldes.

   1567, Ovid, “The Seventh Booke”, in Arthur Golding, transl., The XV. Bookes of P. Ouidius Naso, Entytuled Metamorphosis, […], London: […] Willyam Seres […], →OCLC

   Off with his head, and set it on York gates; / So York may overlook the town of York.

   c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv]

   "'Twas young Wilson and a fireman wi' a ladder," said Margaret's neighbour, a tall man who could overlook the crowd.

   1848, [Elizabeth Gaskell], chapter V, in Mary Barton: A Tale of Manchester Life. […] (Chapman and Hall’s Series of Original Works of Fiction, Biography, and General Literature), volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC

   The way led sandily along the crest of a wooded amphitheatre, with less stress on the prospect waterward than might have been expected. Cope was not allowed, indeed, to overlook the vague horizon where, through the pine groves, the blue of sky and of sea blended into one; but, under Medora Phillips’ guidance, his eyes were mostly turned inland.

   1919, Henry Blake Fuller, chapter 10, in Bertram Cope’s Year

   Synonyms: survey, look over, luster, lustrate

5. archaicsometimes non-native speakers' EnglishTo supervise, oversee; to watch over.

   to overlook a gang of laborers

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   to overlook one who is writing a letter

   Ganimede like a prettie Page waited on his Miſtreſſe Aliena, and ouerlookt that al was in a readineſſe againſt the Bridegroome ſhoulde come.

   1590, T[homas] L[odge], “Sonnetto”, in Rosalynde. Euphues Golden Legacie: […], London: […] Thomas Orwin for T. G[ubbin] and John Busbie, →OCLC, folio 60, recto

   His sole child, my lord, and bequeathed to my overlooking.

   c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]

   Be careful in overlooking inferiour servants, that they waste nothing which belongs to your Master and Mistress.

   1677, Hannah Woolley, The Compleat Servant-Maid, London: T. Passinger, page 63

   In overlooking the clergy of his diocese, which he thought the chief branch of the episcopal office, exciting in them a zeal for religion, and obliging them at least to a legal performance of their duty, he was uncommonly active, warm, and resolute.

   1755, William Gilpin, The Life of Hugh Latimer, Bishop of Worcester, London: John & James Rivington, section 4, page 59

6. archaicTo observe or watch (someone or something) surreptitiously or secretly.

   1839, J. Sheridan Le Fanu, “Strange Event in the Life of Schalken the Painter” in The Watcher and Other Weird Stories, London: Downey, 1894, page 133, The artist turned sharply round, and now for the first time became aware that his labours had been overlooked by a stranger.

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   […] you had need cause the party whome you will drawe to sit […] without stirring or altering the mouth were it neuer so little: wherefore you shall I beleeue find (a mans face) aboue all other creaturs the most troublesome vnto you: for either they will smile, be ouerlooking your hand, or setting their countenances to seeme gratious and comely, giue you choyse of twentie seuerall faces.

   1606, Henry Peacham, chapter VII, in The Art of Drawing with the Pen, London: William Jones, book 1, page 20

   1724, Aaron Hill, The Plain Dealer, No. 33, 13 July, 1724, The Plain Dealer, London: S. Richardson and A. Wilde, 1730, page 269, I lean’d back in my Chair, and overlook’d what he was doing.—But, as if the young Rogue had had Eyes in his Elbows, he broke off what he had begun, and writ, thus, in a new Place.—If an impertinent Old Fellow, that sits by me, did not overlook what I am writing, I should have told you a pleasant Secret

7. archaicTo inspect (something); to examine; to look over carefully or repeatedly.

   1602, Thomas Lodge (translator), The Famous and Memorable Workes of Iosephus, London: G. Bishop et al., Book 5, Chapter 2, page 109, […] this was one of those spies which Moses sent to ouerlooke the land of Chanaan.

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   And therefore I trust thou vvylt accept it as it is, specially considering, that I neither had leysure, nor quietnesse at the dooing of it, neither after the dooing had euer any tyme to ouerlooke it, but vvas driuen to deliuer it to the Printer, as I fyrst vvrote it […]

   1577, Barnabe Googe, Foure bookes of husbandry, collected by M. Conradus Heresbachius, London, The Epistle to the Reader

   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”, in Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande, volume 3, page 757

   1752, Arthur Murphy, The Gray’s Inn Journal No. 21, London: P. Vaillant, 1756, page 138, As the Meanness of my Education had hindered me from knowing any Thing of Law Affairs, I got my two Companions to overlook the Mortgage Deed, and with their Advice signed it […]

   Synonyms: scrutinize, analyze, check, canvass, examine, inspect, thresh, look over

8. archaicTo look upon with an evil eye; to bewitch by looking upon; to fascinate.

   [B]eshrew your eyes, / They have o'erlook'd me and divided me; / One half of me is yours, the other half yours,— / Mine own, I would say; but if mine, then yours, / And so all yours![…]

   c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]