Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To manage and direct; be in charge of.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To oversee; have charge of, with authority to direct or regulate: as, to supervise the erection of a house.
  • To look over so as to peruse; read; read over.
  • Synonyms See list under superintend.
  • noun Inspection.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun obsolete Supervision; inspection.
  • transitive verb To oversee for direction; to superintend; to inspect with authority.
  • transitive verb obsolete To look over so as to read; to peruse.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive To direct, manage, or oversee; to be in charge

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb keep tabs on; keep an eye on; keep under surveillance
  • verb watch and direct

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English *supervisen, from Medieval Latin supervidēre, supervīs- : Latin super-, super- + Latin vidēre, to see; see weid- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Borrowed from Medieval Latin supervisus, from supervidere, from Latin super + videre.

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Examples

  • Drum, wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat tied under his chin, will supervise from a chair near the garage.

    Boing Boing: November 30, 2003 - December 6, 2003 Archives 2003

  • Just remember those of us who are operational Inspectors … … one of the benefits of being front-line and going to jobs like these to supervise is that you don’t have to investigate the complaint yourself.

    The Last Pop Song « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG Inspector Gadget 2008

  • Meanwhile, they are fighting like hell to continue doing what got us into the crisis, and even to expand their abilities with front-running computer deals by Goldman Sachs, and more power for the Fed to "supervise" the financial sector.

    Quick fixes (Jack Bog's Blog) 2009

  • What: one guy to shovel dog crap and 38 of Mayor Creepy's close personal financiers, er, I mean friends to "supervise" him?

    Another priceless comedy moment from the O (Jack Bog's Blog) 2009

  • Later reports state that the Captain in fact stayed and was the 7th person airlifted to shore but then he came back by helicopter to 'supervise', from the safety of the helicopter, the rescue of those below.

    Archive 2009-07-01 2009

  • Later reports state that the Captain in fact stayed and was the 7th person airlifted to shore but then he came back by helicopter to 'supervise', from the safety of the helicopter, the rescue of those below.

    [oceanos] cowardice and courage 2009

  • He took off after the impact, and after waiting a fair amount of time, I called my boyfriend and friend to the area to "supervise" my tracking and show me how to field dress.

    Hunting on TV 2007

  • Matsepe-Casaburri said legislation allowed her to do very little and her task was simply to "supervise" the work of the SABC.

    ANC Daily News Briefing 2008

  • Matsepe-Casaburri said legislation allowed her to do very little and her task was simply to "supervise" the work of the SABC.

    ANC Daily News Briefing 2008

  • But look at it from the execs POV: They're in a position to "supervise", so they do.

    Peak Cartoon Steve Hulett 2008

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