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overwork - 7 dictionary results

o⋅ver⋅work

[v. oh-ver-wurk; n. oh-ver-wurk]
–verb (used with object)
1. to cause to work too hard, too much, or too long; weary or exhaust with work (often used reflexively): Don't overwork yourself on that new job.
2. to work up, stir up, or excite excessively: to overwork a mob to the verge of frenzy.
3. to employ or elaborate to excess: an appeal for sympathy that has been overworked by many speakers.
4. to work or decorate all over; decorate the surface of: white limestone overworked with inscriptions.
–verb (used without object)
5. to work too hard, too much, or too long; work to excess: You look as though you've been overworking.
–noun
6. work beyond one's strength or capacity.
7. extra or excessive work.

Origin:
bef. 1000; OE oferwyrcan. See over-, work
o·ver·work   (ō'vər-wûrk')   
v.   o·ver·worked, o·ver·work·ing, o·ver·works

v.   tr.
  1. To force to work too hard or too long.
    1. To rework to excess: overwork a speech.
    2. To use too often: "'Vulnerable' and 'volatile' were the most overworked adjectives of the '70s" (David Ansen).
  2. To decorate the entire surface of.
v.   intr.
To work too long or too hard.
n.   (ō'vər-wûrk')
Excessive work.

Overwork

O`ver*work"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Overworkedor Overwrought; p. pr. & vb. n. Overworking.]

1. To work beyond the strength; to cause to labor too much or too long; to tire excessively; as, to overwork a horse.

2. To fill too full of work; to crowd with labor.

My days with toil are overwrought. --Longfellow.

3. To decorate all over.

Overwork

O`ver*work"\, v. t. To work too much, or beyond one's strength.

Overwork

O"ver*work`\, n. Work in excess of the usual or stipulated time or quantity; extra work; also, excessive labor.
Language Translation for : overwork
Spanish: trabajo excesivo,
German: die Überarbeitung,
Japanese: 働き過ぎ

overwork  (v.)
"to cause to work too hard," 1530, from over + work (q.v.). O.E. oferwiercan meant "to work all over," i.e. "to decorate the whole surface of."

Main Entry: over·work
Pronunciation: "O-v&r-'w&rk
Function: transitive verb
: to cause to work too hard, too long, or to exhaustionintransitive senses
: to work too much or too long —overwork noun
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