A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

Note: 
The expression does not fully correlate in meaning with
the phrase overlook something—
1
. = look over something 
1
:
Breakfast is served on request and can be enjoyed on the terrace
overlooking the garden. 2. = look over something 2: I decided
to overlook his unkindness to me and gave him a hand. 3. fail
– 223 –
look over something

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to see or notice smth.: The hospital declared the transplant a
success, but they had apparently overlooked the risk from the
man’s high blood pressure.
watch over something —
1
. guard smth.: At the strike of mid-
night, the guard will change and continue watch over the jew-
els. 2. take care of smth.: The committee’s responsibility is to
watch over the safety of the workers.
See also: oversee something / see over something.
look someone in the face • stare someone in the
face
look someone in the face —confront a person with a steady
gaze that implies courage, confidence, or defiance: How can
you look me in the face, and tell such a huge lie!
stare someone in the face —
1
. look into a person’s face fixedly
or intently: She stared me in the face for the longest time
before she spoke. 2. said of smth. threatening a person with
misfortune or disaster: Only when starvation stares him in the
face will he relinquish his “glad clothes.” 3. said of smth. which
is obvious and easy to see but is not noticed by a person: Are
you looking for your pencil? It’s on your desk, staring you in
the face.
look someone up • see someone up
look someone up —
1
. visit smb. when in the same place: If
I’m ever here on business again, I’ll look you up. 2. search for
and find a person: I’ll try to look him up on the Web before
making a phone call.