overwhelm — [v1] flood, beat physically bury, conquer, crush, defeat, deluge, destroy, drown, drub*, engulf, inundate, massacre, overcome, overflow, overpower, overrun, overthrow, rout, smother, submerge, swamp, thrash, total*, whip*, win*; concepts 86,95… … New thesaurus
Overwhelm — O ver*whelm , n. The act of overwhelming. [R.] [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
overwhelm — I verb astonish, beat, besiege, bewilder, bury, confound, confuse, conquer, daze, defeat, deluge, demergere, destroy, discomfit, immerse, impress, inundate, master, obruere, opprimere, overcome, overpower, overrun, overthrow, quash, quell, shock … Law dictionary
overwhelm — (v.) early 14c., to turn upside down, to overthrow, from OVER (Cf. over) + M.E. whelmen to turn upside down (see WHELM (Cf. whelm)). Meaning to submerge completely is mid 15c. Perhaps the connecting notion is a boat, etc., washed over, and… … Etymology dictionary
overwhelm — ► VERB 1) submerge beneath a huge mass. 2) defeat completely; overpower. 3) have a strong emotional effect on. DERIVATIVES overwhelming adjective. ORIGIN from archaic whelm engulf or submerge , from Old English … English terms dictionary
overwhelm — [ō΄vər hwelm′, ō΄vərwelm′] vt. [ME oferwhelmen: see OVER & WHELM] 1. to pour down upon and cover over or bury beneath 2. to make helpless, as with greater force or deep emotion; overcome; crush; overpower 3. Obs. to overthrow or overturn… … English World dictionary
overwhelm — verb ADVERB ▪ absolutely, completely, totally ▪ quite, rather ▪ almost, nearly ▪ suddenly … Collocations dictionary
overwhelm — [[t]o͟ʊvə(r)(h)we̱lm[/t]] overwhelms, overwhelming, overwhelmed 1) VERB If you are overwhelmed by a feeling or event, it affects you very strongly, and you do not know how to deal with it. [be V ed] He was overwhelmed by a longing for times past … English dictionary
overwhelm */ — UK [ˌəʊvə(r)ˈwelm] / US [ˌoʊvərˈwelm] / US [ˌoʊvərˈhwelm] verb [transitive] Word forms overwhelm : present tense I/you/we/they overwhelm he/she/it overwhelms present participle overwhelming past tense overwhelmed past participle overwhelmed 1) a) … English dictionary
overwhelm — /oh veuhr hwelm , welm /, v.t. 1. to overcome completely in mind or feeling: overwhelmed by remorse. 2. to overpower or overcome, esp. with superior forces; destroy; crush: Roman troops were overwhelmed by barbarians. 3. to cover or bury beneath… … Universalium
