overforward

English

Etymology

over- +‎ forward

Adjective

overforward (comparative more overforward, superlative most overforward)

1. Excessively forward.
   1. (of a person) Too bold; too quick to act and/or too emphatic of expression.
      • 1710, Samuel Palmer, Moral Essays on Some of the Most Curious and Significant English, Scotch, and Foreign Proverbs, page 119:

        And tho' a Man may have been often mis-us'd upon this account, there are still some People so modest, and will esteem so well of a kind Offer, that 'twill be frequently a Man's Duty to run the Hazard of his Service being slighted, rather than not profer his Assistance to a poor honest Man, that has not the Face to ask it: And to be overforward to do good is so great a Rarity, it ought never to be difcourag'd.

      • 1858, Letters of John Calvin, page 95:

        And, in like manner, I have never yielded to those who set themselves up rashly to sit in judgment, as for the most part overforward to determine the nature. of the malady while ignorant of its root.

      • 1860, John Carroll, Past and Present, Or, A Description of Persons and Events, page 276:

        He is an effective debater in Conference deliberations , when he chooses to take a part, which, however, he is not overforward to do.

      • 1867, Ianthe, Emma Catherine Embury, Mrs. V. L. Mendenhall, The Greek Slave, page 105:

        Thou art discreet, and not given to impudence, and if thou should'st this time be overforward, I will not chide thee.

      • 2012, Susan Cahn, Sexual Reckonings: Southern Girls in a Troubling Age, page 205:

        The anxious “overforward girl” adopted a boldness that might repel future mates and, if she crossed that hurdle, "leave a residue of female dominance" likely to prevent a successful marriage.

   2. (of an emotion, attitude, or trait) Arrived at too quickly or expressed too openly.
      • 1700, Robert Boyle, Some Motives and Incentives to the Love of God, page 32:

        Nay, till my second Thoughts check'd the overforward Impetuosity of my first, I was about to add, Since God resents an infinite satisfaction in the Accomplishment of his own Will, your Making over your whole Will to God, will impart to you that Felicity, proportioned to the degree of the Resignment.

      • 1844, Richard Mant, A Churchman's Apology, page 4:

        I do not deny that some have displayed an overforward hostility to that system.

      • 1886, Alexander Pope, The Works of Alexander Pope, page 414:

        But the truth is, I imagined you would take it merely as an excuse, had I told you I had the instrument under such conditions; and I likewise simply thought I could obtain leave to lend it; which failing on the trial, I suffer now, I find, in your opinion of my veracity, partly from my overforward desire to have gratified you.

      • 1900, Anthony Ashley Cooper Earl of Shaftesbury, Characteristics of Men, Manners, Opinions, Times, etc., page 39:

        You must suppose me (as with truth you may) most passionately yours; and with that kindness which is natural to you on other occasions, you must tolerate your enthusiastic friend, who, excepting only in the case of this overforward zeal, must ever appear, with the highest respect, my lord, Your Lordship's, etc.

      • 1907, Brush and Pencil - Volume 19, page 67:

        There are indications that genius, unasked, disencouraged and overforward, is manifesting its presence too strongly.

      • 1985, Gerard A. Barker, Grandison's Heirs, page 37:

        Similarly, her suspicion that Sir Charles has decided to let her see his letters about Clementina so " that they may serve for a check to the overforward passion of your Harriet" ( 2: 61 ) becomes highly ironic when we learn, three volumes later, what had been Sir Charles's true motive: his disclosure was aimed at checking his passion rather than hers.

   3. (of an action, occurrence, or development) Premature.
      • 1831, Robert Hawker, Works - Volume 1, page 7:

        I the rather say this to you, as you seem, in your last, to condemn ( which I am much pleased with ) the hasty and overforward prescriptions of beginners.

      • 1854, William Evans, Thomas Evans, Piety Promoted, page 13:

        This was not a childish or an overforward choice in him , but doubtless was from a serious consideration , as seeing him who is invisible ; for we are expressly told , that ' When he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel.'

      • 1878, James Spedding, An Account of the Life and Times of Francis Bacon:

        A character rare at all times and in all places; most rare in such a station as he seemed destined thus early to occupy; and promising fruites proportionable rare if it might only escape the dangers incident to an overforward season .

      • 1987, Rick Gauger ·, Charon's Ark, page 135:

        Four-year-old Charlie's overforward intelligence had grasped it, even at that age: she was older than the other mothers he knew; she had given up dreams and imagination.

      • 2021, Arthur Gask, The Silent Dead:

        Even after such a short acquaintance the idea was forming in my mind that if I gave him tactful and not overforward encouragement, a real friendship might ensue which, in the end, might lead to anything.

   4. Incautious.
      • 1678, John Nalson, The Countermine, page 159:

        What ? do the Bishops fit to govern the Church ? undoubtedly He did not , nor do any of them : and had not his fear pull'd him by the sleeve , and given a check to his overforward Tongue, no doubt but he would have produced all the strong Reasons of the Cabal for the proving of the Negative.

      • 1856, Hugh Miller, An Autobiography, page 88:

        We had a glorious day together in his mother's garden; never before did such magnificent volcanoes break forth out of mole-hills, or were plots of daisies and violets so ruthlessly scorcehed and torn by the explosion of deep-laid mines; and though a few mishaps did happen to overforward fingers , and to eye - brows that were in the way , our amusements passed off innoculously on the whole , and evening saw nearly the half of our precious store unexhausted .

      • 2022, Philip Wynter, The Works of the Right Reverend Joseph Hall, page 126:

        As, therefore, we are wont to pull off some of the too-frequent blossoms that the rest may thrive; so it is good wisdom to moderate the early excess of the parts or progress of overforward childhood .

Related terms

• overforwardness