overseen, ppl. a.
(əʊvəˈsiːn)
Forms: 4 ouerseie, 4–6 -seyn(e, 5–6 -sayne, -sene, 5–7 -seene, 5– -seen, (6 -sayne, -sean).
[Pa. pple. of oversee. In part with active meaning: cf. mistaken.]
1. That has ‘overseen himself’ (see oversee 7); betrayed into a fault or blunder; deceived, deluded, mistaken, in error; acting imprudently, hasty, rash (in an action). Now arch. or dial.
| 1390 Gower Conf. III. 373 It were a thing unresonable, A man to be so overseie. Forthi tak hiede of that I seie. 1491 Caxton Vitas Patr. (W. de W. 1495) iii. iii. 318 b/1 They that wyll saye that he was an heretyke ben fooles & ouerseen. 1519 Interlude Four Elements in Hazl. Dodsley I. 33 Methink you far oversayne. 1535 Coverdale Prov. xxiv. 10 Yf thou be ouersene & necligent in tyme of nede, then is thy strength but small. 1608 Willet Hexapla Exod. 151 How Rupertus was so much ouerseene to alleage a text no where extant. 1786 Nelson Let. June in Nicolas Disp. (1845) I. 177 However Mr. Adye might have been overseen in his Opinion as to the right of Seizure. 1872 St. James' Mag. May 164 She..had been so overseen as to encourage the young man's visits. |
b. overseen with (or in) drink, also simply overseen: Drunk, intoxicated. Obs. exc. dial.
| c 1475 How Good Wife taught Dau. 164 in Q. Eliz. Acad. 49 Syte not to longe vppe at euene, For drede with ale þou be ouer-sene. 1532 Elyot Let. in Gov. (1883) Life 78 Men callyth him overseene, that is drunke, whan he neither knowith what he doeth, nor what he owght to doo. 1628 Earle Microcosm., Colledge Butler (Arb.) 37 Hee is a very sober man considering his manifold temptations of drinke,..and if hee be ouer-seene, tis within his owne liberties, and no man ought to take exceptions. 1678 Robin Hood in Thoms Prose Rom. (1858) II. 122, I cannot well tell whether he was overseen with wine or rage. |
† 2. That has looked into or studied a subject (cf. oversee 2); versed, skilled, ‘well seen’ in some department of knowledge. (Cf. well-read.)
| 1533 More Answ. Poysoned Bk. Wks. 1094/1 The man is a wyse man and wel ouer sene in arguing. 1550 Bale Apol. 51 Ye are a great wise prelate & wel oversean in matters. 1610 J. Guillim Heraldry ii. vi. (1660) 68 They would be thought to be well overseen in Heraldry. |
† 3. Overlooked, unnoticed: see oversee 6. Obs.
| 1608 Bp. Hall Char. Virtues & V., Honest Man, He bewraies the fault of what he sells, and restores the ouerseene gaine of a false reckoning. |