-verb (used with object), -saw, -seen, -see·ing.
1. to direct (work or workers); supervise; manage: He was hired to oversee the construction crews.
2. to see or observe secretly or unintentionally: We happened to oversee the burglar leaving the premises. He was overseen stealing the letters.
3. to survey or watch, as from a higher position.
4. to look over; examine; inspect.
–verb (used with object)
1. to fail to notice, perceive, or consider: to overlook a misspelled word.
2. to disregard or ignore indulgently, as faults or misconduct: Only a parent could overlook that kind of behavior.
3. to look over, as from a higher position: a balcony that overlooks the ballroom.
4. to afford a view over; look down or out upon: a hill overlooking the sea.
The third definitions of each are similar, but even there, oversee is used only with persons, and overlook is used only with things like balconies.
Why are they so different? Oversee makes sense to me, but can someone trace down the reason why overlook often means fail to notice?