SuaviloquyToday’s word

superintendence

Superintendence, n.

Etymology: [Cf. F. superintendance.]

The act of superintending; care and oversight for the purpose of direction; supervision. Barrow.

Syn. -- Inspection; oversight; care; direction; control; guidance.

Shades of meaning

Fernald has no entry of its own for superintendence; he lists it under oversight.

Where he writes about it:

A person may look over a matter in order to survey it carefully in its entirety, or he may look over it with no attention to the thing itself because his gaze and thought are concentrated on something beyond; oversight has thus two contrasted senses, in the latter sense denoting inadvertent error or omission, and in the former denoting watchful supervision, commonly implying constant personal presence; superintendence requires only so much of presence or communication as to know that the superintendent's wishes are carried out; the superintendent of a railroad will personally oversee very few of its operations; the railroad company has supreme direction of all its affairs without superintendence or oversight. — from oversight