oversight

oversight, supervision, surveillance all denote the function or duty of watching or guarding for the sake of proper control or direction.

Oversight applies to the function or duty not only of one who is called an overseer or an inspector but of anyone whose duty it is to watch the progress of a piece of work so that no defects or imperfections may occur or to superintend the labors or efforts of a body of workers

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each foreman is charged with the oversight of the work done in his department

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his widow was to have the oversight of the portions left to the younger children— Scudder

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legislative oversight of administration is a familiar and well-grounded assumption of responsible government— Macmahon

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Supervision carries the strongest implication of authoritative powers, of responsibility, and of superintendence; it usually suggests more rigorous direction or closer management than oversight

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the architect had supervision of the construction of the building

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the majority plan advocated supervision of the processing of ores . . . that is, complete control of uranium and thorium— Current Biog.

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Surveillance implies a close watch on persons suspected of being likely to commit misdeeds or offenses against the law or against morals or suffer untoward accidents

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the police are maintaining a strict surveillance of the suspect

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keep the inmates of a lunatic asylum under surveillance

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I cannot drink a milk shake or put on a pair of shoes without their friendly but implacable surveillance—A. E. Stevenson

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they subjected her to a pride-breaking foreign surveillance, and refused her even the lip service of recognition as an equal— The Personalist

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Analogous words: management, direction, controlling or control (see corresponding verbs at CONDUCT): inspection, scrutiny, examination (see under SCRUTINIZE)