Origin and history of overlook

overlook(v.)

late 14c., overloken, "to examine carefully, scrutinize, inspect," from over- + look (v.). Another Middle English sense was "to peer over the top of, survey from on high, view from a high place" (c. 1400).

These two literal senses have given rise to the two main modern meanings. The meaning "to look over or beyond and thus fail to see" (hence "to pass over indulgently") is via the notion of "to choose to not notice" and is attested from 1520s. The seemingly contradictory sense of "to watch over officially, keep an eye on, superintend" is from 1530s. Related: Overlooked; overlooking. In Shakespeare's day, overlooking also was a common term for "inflicting the evil eye on" (someone or something). Middle English had oure-loker (over-looker), meaning "a timekeeper in a monastery" (early 15c.).

also from late 14c.

overlook(n.)

"place that affords a view from a height," by 1861, from overlook (v.).

also from 1861

Entries linking to overlook

look(v.)

Old English locian "use the eyes for seeing, gaze, look, behold, spy," from West Germanic *lokjan (source also of Old Saxon lokon "see, look, spy," Middle Dutch loeken "to look," Old High German luogen, German dialectal lugen "to look out"), a word of unknown origin. Breton lagud "eye" has been suggested as a possible cognate.

In Old English, usually with on; the use of at began 14c. As a word to call attention, c. 1200 (look out! "take notice" is from mid-15c.). Meaning "seek, search out" is c. 1300; meaning "to have a certain appearance, express or manifest by looks" is from c. 1400. Of objects, "to face in a certain direction," late 14c. To look like "have the appearance of" is from mid-15c. Look after "take care of" is from late 14c., earlier "to seek" (c. 1300), "to look toward" (c. 1200). Look into "investigate" is from 1580s. To look forward "anticipate" is c. 1600; especially "anticipate with pleasure" from mid-19c. To look over "scrutinize" is from mid-15c.

Look up is from c. 1200 in literal sense "raise the eyes;" as "research in books or papers" from 1690s. To look up to "regard with respect and veneration" is from 1719. To look down upon in the figurative sense "regard as beneath one" is from 1711; to look down one's nose is from 1921. To not look back "make no pauses" is colloquial, first attested 1893. In look sharp (1711), sharp originally was an adverb, "sharply." To look around "search about, look round" is from 1883.

overhear(v.)

"to hear one who does not wish to be heard or what one is not meant to hear," 1540s, from over- + hear. The notion is perhaps "to hear beyond the intended range of the voice." Old English oferhieran (West Saxon), oferhēran (Anglian) also meant "to not listen, to disregard, disobey." Compare overlook (v.) for negative force of over; also Middle High German überhaeren, Middle Dutch overhoren in same sense. And Middle English had overheren "to hear fully or plainly" (c. 1300). The various senses reflect the wide range of over-. Related: Overheard; overhearing.