overwork

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English overwerken, possibly from Old English oferwyrċan (“to overwork, overlay”), equivalent to over- +‎ work. Cognate with Dutch overwerken (“to overwork”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) enPR: ō'və-wûkʹ, IPA^(key): /ˌəʊvəˈwɜːk/

  • Audio (Southern England)

    (file)

• (US) enPR: ō'vər-wûrkʹ, IPA^(key): /ˌoʊvɚˈwɝk/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)k

Verb

overwork (third-person singular simple present overworks, present participle overworking, simple past and past participle overworked or overwrought)

1. (transitive) To make (someone or something) work too hard.

   to overwork a horse

   • 1945 November snd December, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 329:

     For some years locomotives and coaches have been overworked and undermaintained to a degree without precedent in British railway history, and the leeway in maintenance now to be made up is very great.

2. (intransitive) To work too hard.
3. (transitive) To fill too full of work; to crowd with labour.
   • 1874, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Aigalades:

     My days with toil are overwrought.

4. (transitive) To decorate all over.

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English overwerc, from Old English oferweorc, oferġeweorc (“an overwork, superstructure, tomb”), equivalent to over- +‎ work.

Pronunciation

• (UK) enPR: ōʹvə-wûk', IPA^(key): /ˈəʊvəˌwɜːk/

  • Audio (Southern England)

    (file)

• (US) enPR: ōʹvər-wûrk', IPA^(key): /ˈoʊvɚˌwɝk/

Noun

overwork (uncountable)

1. a superstructure
2. excessive work
   • 1878, Phosphorus in functional disorders of the nervous system, induced by overwork and other influences incidental to modern life:

     Various disordered conditions consequent upon overwork, which are characteristic of modern civilisation.

   • 1946 July and August, K. Westcott Jones, “Isle of Wight Central Railway—2”, in Railway Magazine, page 244:

     […] it had obtained from its constituents rather antiquated and inefficient equipment, which scarcely stood up to overwork; […] .

   • 1996, Wilkie Au, Urgings of the Heart: A Spirituality of Integration:

     When it comes to overwork, denial looms large.

   • 2003, Ernie J Zelinski, Joy of Not Working: A Book for the Retired, Unemployed, and Overworked:

     The Japanese term for sudden death from overwork.

Translations

See also

• overtime

Further reading

• “overwork”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “overwork”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

Anagrams

• work over, workover