- to bear over or down by weight or force: With his superior strength he easily overbore his opponent in the fight.
- to overcome or overwhelm: A spirited defense had overborne the enemy attack.
- to prevail over or overrule (wishes, objections, etc.): She overbore all objections to the new plan.
- to treat in a domineering way; dominate: to overbear one's children with threats of violence.
- Nautical. (of a sailing ship) to have the advantage of (another sailing ship) because of an ability to carry more canvas safely.
- to produce fruit or progeny so abundantly as to impair the health.
Origin of overbear
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
- (tr) to dominate or overcometo overbear objections
- (tr) to press or bear down with weight or physical force
- to produce or bear (fruit, progeny, etc) excessively
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for overborn
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper