Word of the Day

Friday, January 26, 2007

overweening

\oh-vur-WEE-ning\ , adjective;

Overbearing; arrogant; presumptuous.

Excessive; immoderate; exaggerated.

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Quotes:

In a story as old as the Greeks, overweening pride brought condign disaster.

-- David Frum, How We Got Here

She was warring with her children, having pushed them away with her overweening possessiveness.

-- James Fox, Five Sisters

Overweening personal ambition is no virtue; but while I had it, I could have danced on a bed of nails.

-- Joyce Maynard, At Home in the World

Origin:

Overweening is from Middle English overwening, present participle of overwenen, "to be arrogant," from over + wenen "to ween," from Old English wenan.