I. |ōvə(r) adverb
Etymology: Middle English, adverb & preposition, from Old English ofer; akin to Old High German ubari, ubiri, adverb, over, ubar, preposition, over, Old Norse yfir, adverb & preposition, Gothic ufar, preposition, over, Latin super, adverb & preposition, over, Greek hyper, adverb & preposition, Sanskrit upari, adverb & preposition, over, Old English ufan above
1.
a.
(1) : from one point to another across an intervening space or barrier
sail over to England
throw the ball over
galloped over to the scene — H.E.Scudder
the major called the three over — C.G.De Van
(2) : so as to pass down or forward and down
went too near the edge and fell over
(3) : from inside to outside across the brim
the soup boiled over
(4) : so as to bring the underside to or toward the top
turned himself over
roll a stone over
turn the page over
(5) : in the opposite direction
gave the order to put the helm over — A.A. & Mary Hoehling
(6) : over the side of a ship
put a boat over to come and look for you — R.F.Mirvish
put the ladder over — Vincent McHugh
(7) : from side to side : in diameter : across
the mouth of the cave was about 12 feet over
(8) : so as to pass over a target and beyond
the bullets fell short or went over
(9) : away from a vertical to a prone or inclined position
knocked the boy over
the wall fell over
the ship heeled over
(10) : to one's home
inviting fifteen or twenty of her friends over for fun and games — New York Times
b.
(1) : on the other side of an intervening space
is over in England
(2) : at some distance from a particular point : away
a fellow a couple of counties over — Brad Sebstad
from two blocks over he could hear the thin wail — H.M.Brier
the bomb hit the next pier over — R.O.Bowen
c.
(1) : so as to pass or transfer from one person, side, activity, or opinion to another
hand over the money
theater orchestras … had gone over completely to it — American Guide Series: Washington
endorsed it over to the … Housing Corporation — Warner Olivier
turned it over to her daughter — American Guide Series: Arkansas
went over to the opposition
(2) : so as to achieve understanding, acceptance, support, or other desired effect — usually used with get
are not getting over to those whom we are addressing — A.T.Weaver
get your effect and your meaning over to the orchestra — Warwick Braithwaite
wants to get his own message over — W.F.Hambly
(3) : into one's own possession : so as to be in control
the university took it over — American Guide Series: Maryland
took over after a revolt
took over from a firm that had gone into liquidation — Irish Digest
— compare take over
d. : aside
throwing over traditional morality
2.
a. : beyond, above, or in excess of some quantity or limit
boys of twelve and over
b.
(1) : in or to excess : beyond the norm
she was over canvassed — Peter Heaton
they were seven minutes over — Goodman Ace
(2) : inordinately , excessively — often used in combination
on his guard against over quick deductions — A.E.Duncan-Jones
just naturally over registers emotion — Current Biography
over conservative traditionalists — John Arlott
c. : till a later time
leave this new inquiry over till Monday — F.W.Crofts
so glad you can stay over
3.
a. : above
the plane was directly over
b. : so as to cover, conceal, or affect the whole surface or expanse
the original logs were boarded over — American Guide Series: Arkansas
4.
a. : at an end — often used in the phrase over with
hurrying to get the business over with
b. — used on a two-way radio circuit to indicate that a particular sentence or message is complete and that a reply is expected
5.
a.
(1) : from beginning to end : through
read it over and let me know what you think
(2) : in an intensive or comprehensive manner : thoroughly
the issue is worked over in the most … compelling scene of the play — Leslie Rees
talk the matter over
b.
(1) : for a second or successive time : once more : again
this work will have to be done over
read the difficult passage twice over
— often used in the phrase over again
asked to recite the verse over again
(2) : so as to be transformed or changed from a previous state or condition
a man cannot make himself over
II. preposition
Etymology: Middle English, adverb & preposition, from Old English ofer — more at over I
1.
a.
(1) — used as a function word to indicate position higher up than and usually directly above another object
over the elm tops in the west — Lucien Price
towered over his diminutive mother
leaned over the rampart
(2) — used as a function word to indicate a surrounding condition or threatening prospect
an atmosphere of doubt and uncertainty hung over the town
(3) — used as a function word to indicate that the author's name is subscribed to a writing
sent a letter to the paper over his own signature
(4) : above the mental capacity or beyond the comprehension of — usually used in the phrase over the head of
his lecture was way over the heads of his audience
b.
(1) — used as a function word to indicate submersion above a specified level
over his waist in water
(2) — used as a function word to indicate extreme or acute embarrassment or difficulty of a specified kind
over head and ears in debt
2.
a. — used as a function word to indicate the possession or enjoyment of authority, power, or jurisdiction in regard to some thing or person
installed as minister over one of the largest congregations in the city
unfailing in their service of those over them — E.R.Hughes
b. — used as a function word to indicate a relation of superiority, advantage, or preference to another
the relative importance of the abstract over the pictorial — C.J.Bulliet
taking an unprecedented lead over the other teams — Current Biography
this excess of wealth over population — W.P.Webb
— often used in the phrase have it over or have it all over
the Britisher in America has it over the anthropologist — V.O.Key
c. — used as a function word to indicate suppression of or release from a passion, infatuation, or other strong feeling
finally got over his mad
never got over his love for the baroque — Current Biography
d. — used as a function word to indicate someone or something that is overcome, circumvented, or disregarded in achieving an objective
we got over him — Adrian Bell
passed over the president's veto — Current Biography
3.
a. archaic : further than : besides
b. : more than
cost over five dollars
4.
a.
(1) : upon or down upon so as to rest, cover, or conceal from view
over which they throw a bridge of flowers — American Guide Series: Louisiana
laid a blanket over the sleeping child
a cap pulled low over his eyes
got some blood over your face — Burt Arthur
(2) : upon or down upon so as to change or otherwise influence in a pervasive manner
don't know what has come over the girl
(3) : on , upon
bop people over the head — Bennett Cerf
rap a child over the knuckles
(4) — used as a function word to indicate change, variation, or difference from some other thing or period
this year's copy contains no innovations over those in the past — Springfield (Massachusetts) Daily News
a drop of three over 1956 — Springfield (Massachusetts) Daily News
b.
(1) : at or to all the parts of the surface of : throughout a specified area
the common toad is found over the entire state — American Guide Series: Minnesota
packing and shipping concerns who sell the United States over — Spokane (Wash.) Spokesman-Review
— often used with intensive all
the rumor is all over Washington — New Republic
votive chapels sprang up in his honor all over Italy — Norman Douglas
(2) : along the length of
over stony roads that soon wear out the lorries — Michael Barbour
over its one-way street system move only the most modern cars — C.B.Hitchcock
(3) — used as a function word to indicate a particular medium or channel of communication
hear one another over the air — G.W.Chapman
spoke to me over the telephone
gave several recitals over the … network — Current Biography
c.
(1) : through every part of : all through
the present comtesse … showed me over it — Ralph Hammond-Innes
(2) — used as a function word to indicate study, review, or examination of something
went over his notes in preparation for the quiz
go over the case with the defense attorney
5.
a. — used as a function word to indicate motion that passes above something on the way to the other side or to a place beyond
does a series of tumbles over rocky ledges — Y.E.Soderberg
climb over a mountain
fly over a lake
attack over a frontier
put a boat over a ship's side
b. — used as a function word to indicate position on the other side or beyond
lives in a little shop over the way — H.V.Morton
6.
a. : throughout , during
many times prime minister of his country over the past 25 years — Geoffrey Godsell
lost the use of their eyes through living underground over many generations — S.F.Mason
had written it nights and over weekends — Current Biography
b. : until the end of : for a period including
invited us to stay over Sunday
stationed in an isolated post over winter
7.
a. — used as a function word to indicate an object of solicitude, interest, consideration, or reference
the Lord watches over his own
laughed over my misadventures
his curiosity over the materials and tools — C.D.Gaitskell
gives way to an intolerable degree of sentimentality over some of his women — C.H.Sykes
am with you over this
b. — used as a function word often with an accompanying concrete word to indicate occupation or activity
spent an hour over cards
deciding to wait over a beer — Ralph Ellison
enjoy an evening with me over a bite to eat — Frank O'Leary
c. : on account of
embittered over this fate — L.S.Thompson
got himself into disgrace over some caricatures of military personages — Times Literary Supplement
8. card games : next in turn to play after (another card player)
•
- over a barrel
III. adjective
Etymology: Middle English, alteration (influenced by over ) (I) of uvere, from Old English uferra, compar. of ofer, adverb — more at over I
1.
a. : upper , higher , superior
b. : covering , outer
c. : excessive
too hasty interpretations and over imagination — W.E.Swinton
— often used in combination
over activity is not recommended for the patient
2.
a. : remaining
that didn't leave me much over — Albert Halper
something over to provide for unusual requirements — J.A.Todd
b. : having an excess or surplus
the cash is said to be over — Twentieth Century Bookkeeping & Accounting
3. : fried on both sides
ordered two eggs over
IV. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: over (I)
1. dialect : to get over : recover from
whether you overed a snakebite or not — Conrad Richter
2. dialect England : to bring to an end : finish
3. : to leap over : clear
overed a stile — A.T.Quiller-Couch
4. dialect England : to be over with
the Sabbath not yet overed — Charlotte Brontë
V. noun
( -s )
Etymology: over (I)
1.
[so called from the umpire's cry of “ over ” to declare all play for that series at an end]
: a series of 6 or 8 cricket balls bowled consecutively by one bowler from one end of the wicket
2. overs plural , Britain : extra sheets of paper in a ream to allow for spoilage in printing
3. overs plural : lumbermen's overs
4. overs plural : material that does not pass through any given screen in the milling process
5. : a shot which strikes or bursts beyond the target