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overblown

 - 6 dictionary results

o⋅ver⋅blown

1  [oh-ver-blohn]
Use overblown in a Sentence
–adjective
1. overdone or excessive: overblown praise.
2. of unusually large size or proportions: a majestic, overblown figure.
3. overinflated; turgid; bombastic; pretentious: overblown prose.
–verb
4. pp. of overblow.
Origin:
1590–1600; over- + blown 1

o⋅ver⋅blown

2  [oh-ver-blohn]
–adjective
(of a flower) past the stage of full bloom; more than full-blown: an overblown rose.
Origin:
1610–20; over- + blown 2

o⋅ver⋅blow

  [oh-ver-bloh] verb, -blew, -blown, -blow⋅ing.
–verb (used with object)
1. to give excessive importance or value to: to overblow one's own writing.
2. to overinflate.
3. to blow over the surface of, as the wind, sand, or the like: dead leaves overblowing the yard.
4. to blow (a wind instrument or an organ pipe) in such a way as to produce overtones.
–verb (used without object)
5. to overblow a wind instrument.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME; see over-, blow 2
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To overblown
o·ver·blow   (ō'vər-blō')   
tr.v.   o·ver·blew (-blōō'), o·ver·blown (-blōn'), o·ver·blow·ing, o·ver·blows
To blow (a wind instrument) so as to produce an overtone instead of a fundamental tone.
o·ver·blown   (ō'vər-blōn')   
v.  Past participle of overblow.
adj.  

    1. Done to excess; overdone: overblown decorations.

    2. Full of empty or pretentious language; bombastic: overblown oratory.

  2. Past the stage of full bloom: overblown roses.

  3. Very fat; obese.

  4. Having been blown down or over: a pile of overblown saplings.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

overblown 
1471, "blown over, passed away," from verb overblow (c.1385), from over + blow. Meaning "inflated, puffed up" (with vanity, etc.) is from 1864.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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