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Origin and history of supervise

supervise(v.)

late 15c., "look over" (implied in supervising), from Medieval Latin supervisus, past participle of supervidere "oversee, inspect," from Latin super "over" (see super-) + videre "to see" (from PIE root *weid- "to see"). The meaning "oversee and have charge of and superintend the work or performance of others" is attested from 1640s. Middle English also used supervide (late 15c.), directly from the Medieval Latin verb. Related: Supervised.

also from late 15c.

Entries linking to supervise

supervisal(n.)

"act of overseeing, management and direction," 1650s, from supervise (v.) + -al (2).

supervision(n.)

"act of overseeing, management and direction," 1630s, from Medieval Latin supervisionem (nominative supervisio), noun of action from past-participle stem of supervidere "oversee, inspect" (see supervise). The verbal noun supervising in the same sense is from late 15c.

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monitor
1540s, "senior pupil at a school charged with keeping order, etc.," from Latin monitor "one who reminds, admonishes, or checks," also "an overseer, instructor, guide, teacher," agent noun from monere "to remind, bring to (one's) recollection, tell (of); admonish, advise, warn, in
oversee
Old English oferseon "to look down upon, keep watch over, survey, observe;" see over- + see (v.). Meaning "to supervise to superintend" is attested from mid-15c. The verb lacks the double sense of similar overlook, but it sometimes had it and this survives in the noun form oversi
manage
1560s, "to handle, train, or direct" (a horse), from the now-obsolete noun manage "the handling or training of a horse; horsemanship" (see manege, which is a modern revival of it), from Old French manège "horsemanship," from Italian maneggio, from maneggiare "to handle, touch," e
propaganda
de Propaganda Fide "congregation for propagating the faith," a committee of cardinals established 1622 by Gregory XV to supervise...
direct
In reference to plays, films, etc., "to supervise and control the making of," it is attested from 1913....
administer
late 14c., aministren, later administren, "to manage as a steward, control or regulate on behalf of others," from Old French aministrer "help, aid, be of service to" (12c., Modern French administrer), and directly from Latin administrare "to help, assist; manage, control, guide,
build
Middle English bilden, from late Old English byldan "construct a house," verb form of bold "house," from Proto-Germanic *buthla- (source also of Old Saxon bodl, Old Frisian bodel "building, house"), from PIE *bhu- "to dwell," from root*bheue- "to be, exist, grow." Rare in Old Eng
spy
mid-13c., spien, "to watch stealthily," from Old French espiier "observe, watch closely, spy on, find out," probably from Frankish *spehon or some other Germanic source, from Proto-Germanic *spehon- (source also of Old High German *spehon "to look out for, scout, spy," German spä
spoon
Middle English spon, from Old English spon "chip, sliver, shaving, splinter of wood" (a sense now obsolete), from Proto-Germanic *spe-nu- (source also of Old Norse spann, sponn "chip, splinter," Swedish spån "a wooden spoon," Old Frisian spon, Middle Dutch spaen, Dutch spaan, Old
observe
late 14c., observen, "to hold to (a manner of life or course of conduct), carry out the dictates of, attend to in practice, to keep, follow," from Old French observer, osserver "to observe, watch over, follow" (10c.), from Latin observare "watch over, note, heed, look to, attend

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