to forgive or pretend not to notice something
I'm prepared to overlook his behaviour this time.
Oxford Essential Dictionary
overlook
verb (overlooks, overlooking, overlooked )
1 to not see or notice something:
He overlooked one important fact.
2 to have a view over something:
My room overlooks the garden.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
overlook
o‧ver‧look /ˌəʊvəˈlʊk $ ˌoʊvər-/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
1. to not notice something, or not see how important it is SYN miss:
It is easy to overlook a small detail like that.
Nobody could overlook the fact that box office sales were down.
2. to forgive someone’s mistake, bad behaviour etc and take no action:
She found him entertaining enough to overlook his faults.
3. if a house, room etc overlooks something, it has a view of it, usually from above:
Our room overlooks the ocean.
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
overlook
over·look [overlook overlooks overlooked overlooking] [ˌəʊvəˈlʊk] [ˌoʊvərˈlʊk] verb
1. ~ sth to fail to see or notice sth
Syn: miss
• He seems to have overlooked one important fact.
• In my hurry to finish the exam I had overlooked part of one of the questions.
2. ~ sth to see sth wrong or bad but decide to ignore it
Syn: turn a blind eye to
• We could not afford to overlook such a serious offence.
• He's so friendly people are prepared to overlook his faults.
3. ~ sth if a building, etc. overlooks a place, you can see that place from the building
• a restaurant overlooking the lake
• Our back yard is overlooked by several houses.
4. ~ sb (for sth) to not consider sb for a job or position, even though they might be suitable
Syn: pass over
• She's been overlooked for promotion several times.
Example Bank:
• Hospitals have tended to overlook this need.
• I was prepared to overlook her mistakes this time.
• It is easy to overlook the significance of this change.
• The importance of this should not be overlooked.
• We should not overlook this possibility.
• another fact which is all too easily overlooked
• He's so friendly people are prepared to overlook his faults.
• That's a point which should not be overlooked.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
overlook / ˌəʊ.vəˈlʊk / / ˌoʊ.vɚ- / verb [ T ] (FORGIVE)
to forgive or pretend not to notice something:
I'm prepared to overlook his behaviour this time.
overlook / ˌəʊ.vəˈlʊk / / ˌoʊ.vɚ- / verb [ T ] (VIEW)
B2 to provide a view of, especially from above:
Our hotel room overlooked the harbour.
The house is surrounded by trees, so it's not overlooked at all (= it cannot be seen from any other buildings) .
overlook / ˌəʊ.vəˈlʊk / / ˌoʊ.vɚ- / verb [ T ] (NOT NOTICE)
C2 to fail to notice or consider something or someone:
I think there is one key fact that you have overlooked.
No one will be overlooked in the selection of the team.
Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary
overlook
[o͟ʊvə(r)l'ʊk]
overlooks, overlooking, overlooked
1) VERB If a building or window overlooks a place, you can see the place clearly from the building or window.
[V n] Pretty and comfortable rooms overlook a flower-filled garden...
[V-ing] Jack Aldwych lived in a huge, old two-storeyed house overlooking Harbord.
Syn:
look over
2) VERB If you overlook a fact or problem, you do not notice it, or do not realize how important it is.
[V n] We overlook all sorts of warning signals about our own health.
[V n] ...a fact that we all tend to overlook.
3) VERB If you overlook someone's faults or bad behaviour, you forgive them and take no action.
[V n] ...satisfying relationships that enable them to overlook each other's faults.
Syn:
excuse
Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary
overlook
over·look /ˌoʊvɚˈlʊk/ verb -looks; -looked; -look·ing [+ obj]
1 a : to fail to see or notice (something)
• The detective overlooked an important clue.
b : to pay no attention to (something)
• She learned to overlook [=ignore] her boyfriend's minor faults.
• Such a crime should not be overlooked.
2 : to not consider (someone) for a job, position, promotion, etc.
• The quarterback was overlooked by other teams.
- often + for
• I was overlooked for a promotion.
3 a : to rise above (something)
• the mountains that overlook the village
b : to have a view looking down at (something)
• We rented a suite that overlooks the lake.