overapply

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English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

over- +‎ apply

Verb[edit]

overapply (third-person singular simple present overapplies, present participle overapplying, simple past and past participle overapplied)

  1. To apply to excess.
    • 1999, Steven Pinker, Words and Rules: The Ingredients of Language:
      German speakers, like English speakers, are prone to overapplying the weak suffix (-t) to irregular verbs, resulting in errors.