overwhelm etymology

Etymology:

• From Middle English overhwhelmen, from Old English oferhwelman, from Proto-Germanic *ufra-hwalmiz, from Proto-Indo-European *uper-kʷel-, meaning "to press over" or "to turn upside down."

Meaning:

• To overwhelm is to overcome or bury someone or something with too much of something, especially work, problems, or emotions.

Origin:

• The term has been used since the 14th century to describe the act of pressing something down or turning something upside down.
• It is related to the Old English word "hwelm," meaning "to turn over" or "to cover."
• In the 16th century, the meaning of "overwhelm" was extended to include the sense of overcoming someone with emotions or work.

overwhelm relate terms

• overwhelmed

  Etymology Middle English overwhelewen from Old English oferwealwian ofer over wealw

• overwhelm

  Etymology From Middle English overhwhelmen from Old English oferhwelman from Proto Ge

• whelm

  Etymology Old English whelmen to plunge or submerge Meaning To completely engu

• gulf

  Etymology The word gulf is derived from the Old French goulfe which in turn comes f

• overcome

  Etymology Over from the Old English ofer meaning above or upon Come from the Ol

• overtake

  Etymology Middle English overtaken from Old English ofer tācan to catch up with ov

• deluge

  Etymology The word deluge derives from the Latin word diluvium which means flood

• involve

  Etymology The study of the origin and history of words Meaning The intended or implied

• transport

  Etymology of Transport The word transport originates from the Latin word transporta

• perfidy

  Etymology Middle English perfidie from Old French perfidie from Latin perfidia from

• mortify

  Etymology The word mortify originates from the Latin word mortificare which is deriv

• submerge

  Etymology The word submerge is derived from the Latin verb submergere which means t

• fire

  Etymology The word fire comes from the Old English fīr which is ultimately derived

• rife

  Etymology The word rife comes from the Middle English word rife which in turn comes