Supervise Meaning
/ˈsuː.pə.vaɪz/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
verbTo oversee or direct a task or organization.
verbTo oversee a task, organization, etc.; to provide supervision; to act as a supervisor.
Sentence Examples
While she is writing, her dad will supervise.
Tom was hired to supervise the production of Mary's music video.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The experienced manager will ____ the team of new workers on the project to ensure high quality.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Her main job is to ____ the team of developers and ensure that the project is completed on time today.
Word Origin & History
Borrowed from Medieval Latin supervisus, from supervidere, from Latin super + videre. Doublet of survey.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Strong personal government is, I believe, the only form of government possible in Kashmir for many years to come, but it is difficult for the Maharajas to supervise the administration of the valley when they are away in their winter capital Jammu."
— 1895, Sir Walter Roper Lawrence, The Valley of Kashmir, page 3:
"Nothing was too small to receive attention, if a supervising eye could suggest improvements likely to conduce to the common welfare. Mr. Gordon Burnage, for instance, personally visited dust-bins and back premises, accompanied by a sort of village bailiff, going his round like a commanding officer doing billets."
— 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XIX, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
"While both the Northeast and the Korean Peninsula were under the jurisdiction of Ho-pei Province, a Protectorate of An-tung was established at P'ing-jang to supervise the Peninsular states and two High Commanders were stationed at You-chou and P'ing-lu[…]"
— 1934, Tung Chi Lin, Chinese Expansion to the Northeast: Methods and Mechanisms, University of California, →OCLC, page 37:
"[…] grievability-arbitrability cases; supervises the conduct of representation elections; and holds hearings as […]"
— 1976, United States Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Departments of Labor, and Health, Education, and Welfare, and Related Agencies, Departments of Labor and Health, Education, and Welfare and Related Agencies Appropriations for Fiscal Year 1977: Hearings Before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, United States Senate, Ninety-fourth Congress, Second Session, page 256:
"I had learned a lot about supervising by observing other supervisors—the good things and the not-so-good things they did."
— 2012, Kathryn M. Johnson, The Insider's Guide to Supervising Government Employees:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The experienced manager will ____ the team of new workers on the project to ensure high quality.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Her main job is to ____ the team of developers and ensure that the project is completed on time today.