English
overlook
Etymology

From Middle English overloken; equivalent to over- + look.

Pronunciation
  • Noun:
    • (RP) IPA: /ˈəʊ.vəˌlʊk/
    • (America) IPA: /ˈoʊ.vɚˌlʊk/
    • (Scotland, NI) IPA: /ˈo.vəɹ.lʉk/
  • Verb:
    • (RP) IPA: /ˌəʊ.vəˈlʊk/
      • (America) IPA: /ˌoʊ.vɚˈlʊk/
    • (Scotland, NI) IPA: /o.vəɹ.ˈlʉk/
Noun

overlook (plural overlooks)

  1. A vista or point that gives a view down toward something else.
    • 1980, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (N.R.A.), General Management Plan:
      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.
Translations Verb

overlook (overlooks, present participle overlooking; simple past and past participle overlooked)

  1. To offer a view (of something) from a higher position.
    Our hotel room overlooks the lake.
    • 1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC ↗, page 163 ↗:
      […] 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.
  2. To fail to notice; to look over and beyond (anything) without seeing it.
    Synonyms: misheed, Thesaurus:fail to notice
    These errors were overlooked by the proofreaders.
    • 1898, H. G. Wells, The War of the Worlds‎, Book 2, Chapter 7:
      The place had been already searched and emptied. In the bar I afterwards found some biscuits and sandwiches that had been overlooked.
  3. To pretend not to have noticed (something, especially a mistake or flaw); to pass over (something) without censure or punishment.
    Synonyms: take no notice of, Thesaurus:ignore
    I’m not willing to overlook such bad behaviour.
    • 1615, Joseph Hall (bishop), Contemplations vpon the Principal Passages of the Holie Historie, London: Nathanael Butter and William Butler, Volume 3, “Ehud and Eglon,” p. 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.
    • 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 1, page 41 ↗:
      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.
    • 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 ↗:
      “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.”
    • 1908 October, Kenneth Grahame, chapter 1, in The Wind in the Willows, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner's Sons, →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?
  4. To look down upon from above or from a higher location.
    Synonyms: survey, look over, luster, lustrate
    The hill overlooks the valley.
    • 1567, Ovid, “The Seventh Booke ↗”, in Arthur Golding, transl., The XV. Bookes of P. Ouidius Naso, Entytuled Metamorphosis, […], London: […] Willyam Seres […], →OCLC ↗:
      There was not farre fro thence
      About the middle of the Laund a rising ground, from whence
      A man might ouerlooke the fieldes.
    • 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]:
      Off with his head, and set it on York gates;
      So York may overlook the town of York.
    • 1848, Elizabeth Gaskell, chapter 5, in Mary Barton‎:
      “’Twas young Wilson and a fireman wi' a ladder,” said Margaret’s neighbour, a tall man who could overlook the crowd.
    • 1919, Henry Blake Fuller, chapter 10, in Bertram Cope's Year‎:
      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.
  5. (archaic) To supervise, oversee; to watch over.
    to overlook a gang of laborers
    to overlook one who is writing a letter
    • 1590, T[homas] L[odge], “Sonnetto”, in Rosalynde. Euphues Golden Legacie: […], London: […] Thomas Orwin for T. G[ubbin] and John Busbie, →OCLC ↗; republished [Glasgow]: [ […] Hunterian Club], [1876], →OCLC ↗, folio 60, recto, page 127 ↗:
      Ganimede like a prettie Page waited on his Miſtreſſe Aliena, and ouerlookt that al was in a readineſſe againſt the Bridegroome ſhoulde come.
    • 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]:
      His sole child, my lord, and bequeathed to my overlooking.
  6. (archaic) To observe or watch (someone or something) surreptitiously or secretly.
    • 1606, Henry Peacham, The Art of Drawing with the Pen‎, London: William Jones, Book 1, Chapter 7, p. 20:
      […] 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.
    • 1724, Aaron Hill, The Plain Dealer, No. 33, 13 July, 1724, The Plain Dealer, London: S. Richardson and A. Wilde, 1730, p. 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—
    • 1839, Sheridan Le Fanu, “Strange Event in the Life of Schalken the Painter” in The Watcher and Other Weird Stories, London: Downey, 1894, p. 133,
      The artist turned sharply round, and now for the first time became aware that his labours had been overlooked by a stranger.
  7. (archaic) To inspect (something); to examine; to look over carefully or repeatedly.
    Synonyms: scrutinize, Thesaurus:examine
    • 1577, Barnabe Googe, Foure bookes of husbandry, collected by M. Conradus Heresbachius‎, London, The Epistle to the Reader:
      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 […]
    • 1602, Thomas Lodge (translator), The Famous and Memorable Workes of Flavius Josephus, London: G. Bishop et al., Book 5, Chapter 2, p. 109,
      […] this was one of those spies which Moses sent to ouerlooke the land of Chanaan.
    • 1752, Arthur Murphy (writer), The Gray’s Inn Journal No. 21, London: P. Vaillant, 1756, p. 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 […]
  8. (archaic) To look upon with an evil eye; to bewitch by looking upon; to fascinate.
    • 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]:
      Portia:
      […] Beshrew 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! […]
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