A  Full of Words

— A Look at American Word Humor —

Overload

onsider the use of the word “over,” as in overdose or overrun.  What, then, does overcome mean?  It looks like the English language has gone overboard with the word “over,” overdoing it with everything from overjoy to overkill.  Let’s take an overly overdue overview of this overage.

Watch over and over…

Overview is a short presentation.

Oversight is supervision; it also means something missed.

Oversee is to supervise but does not mean to miss something.

Overlook is to miss something and to view from above, but not to look too much.

But alas, rarely an overwatch.

Moreover…

Overhear is not as respectable as oversee.

Overtake is not the opposite of undertake.

Overrun is not the speedier version of overstep.

Overhead is not the opposite of under foot.

Overhand is a way to throw, but overthrow is an overreaction to an overlord.

Overflow…

You can overcome an overdose overnight.

You can overeat with your overbite and become overweight.

You can wear an overlapped overcoat when it’s overcast overseas.

You can be overwhelmed and overawed by the overtones of an overture.

You can be overruled, overshadowed and overpowered by an overbearing overseer.

You can overstate your overtime and overplay being overworked.

You can overrate your overacting and overhaul your overdrive.

You can have a passover on an overpass and you can overturn a turnover.

But you can’t overhang a hangover or overlay a layover.

And overall, overalls are all over.