superintend, v.
(ˌs(j)uːpərɪnˈtɛnd)
[ad. eccl. L. superintendĕre: see super- 2 and intend v.]
1. trans. To have or exercise the charge or direction of (operations or affairs); to look after, oversee, supervise the working or management of (an institution, etc.).
| c 1615 Bacon Adv. Sir G. Villiers Lett. 1872 VI. 22 The King will appoint Commissioners in the nature of a Council, who may superintend the works of this nature, and regulate what concerns the colonies. 1673 S. Parker Reproof 167 To this purpose did our blessed Saviour depute the Apostolical order..to superintend the Affaires of his Holy Catholique Church. 1765 Museum Rust. IV. 420 The appointing proper persons to superintend such gardens or nurseries. 1796 Morse Amer. Geog. I. 148 British America is superintended by an officer styled governor general. 1802 M. Edgeworth Moral T. (1816) I. viii. 58 The lady, who superintended the charity-school. 1838 Lytton Alice i. x, He could more often escape from public cares to superintend his private interests. 1859 Ld. Acton Let. in Gasquet Ld. Acton & his Circle (1906) 64 Newman will want superintending in the matter of foreign tongues. 1891 Farrar Darkn. & Dawn xxiii, The cooks and other slaves who superintended the meals of the imperial family. |
b. To exercise supervision over (a person).
| 1776 Trial of Nundocomar 77/1, I was his chief gomastah: I used to superintend his other gomastahs, and sometimes write myself. 1811 Shelley St. Irvyne viii, I burn with curiosity and solicitude to learn for what thou hast thus superintended me. |
c. intr. with † over, or absol.
| 1663 Patrick Parab. Pilgr. xxxi. (1665) 377 This superintends over all, and issues forth her directions and orders to them. 1678 Cudworth Intell. Syst. i. iv. §13. 229 They called both the Childbearing of Women, and the Goddesses that superintend over the same Eilithuia or Lucina. 1883 G. Moore Mod. Lover x, She declared that she was ready to superintend. |
† 2. trans. To keep a watch upon. Obs. rare.
| 1654 tr. Scudery's Curia Pol. 188 The eyes of all the earth observe our motion and superintend our actions. |
Hence superinˈtended ppl. a., superinˈtending vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| 1713 Derham Phys. Theol. iv. xi. §4 (1727) 189 What hath been said..plainly argues Design, and a super-intending Wisdom. 1765 Blackstone Comm. i. 107 The general superintending power of the legislature in the mother country. 1799 S. & Ht. Lee Canterb. T. (1800) III. 14 In the hall he was stopped by a faithful superintending domestic. 1809 in Trans. Soc. Arts (1811) XXVIII. 173 A. Shennan, Superintending-Master of the First Division [of the Fleet]. 1819 W. Taylor in Monthly Rev. LXXXIX. 79 The antient mischiefs of a superintended press. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xx. IV. 399 The..coalition..would be..dissolved if his superintending care were withdrawn. |