overthrow

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Contents

English[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

  • US IPA: /ovəɻˈθɻɔʊ/
  • (file)

Etymology 1[edit]

From over- +‎ throw.

Verb[edit]

overthrow (third-person singular simple present overthrows, present participle overthrowing, simple past overthrew, past participle overthrown)

  1. (transitive, now rare) To throw down to the ground, to overturn.
    • 1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, John II:
      And he made a scourge of smale cordes, and drave them all out off the temple, bothe shepe and oxen, and powred doune the changers money, and overthrue their tables.
  2. (transitive) To bring about the downfall of (a government, etc.), especially by force.
    I hate the current government, but not enough to want to overthrow them.
Translations[edit]
Derived terms[edit]

Noun[edit]

overthrow (plural overthrows)

  1. A removal, especially of a ruler or government, by force or threat of force.
    • 1945, George Orwell, Animal Farm, chapter 1
      What then must we do? Why, work night and day, body and soul, for the overthrow of the human race!
Hypernyms[edit]
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Translations[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

over- +‎ throw

Verb[edit]

overthrow (third-person singular simple present overthrows, present participle overthrowing, simple past overthrew, past participle overthrown)

  1. (transitive, intransitive) To throw (something) so that it goes too far.

Noun[edit]

overthrow (plural overthrows)

  1. (sports) A throw that goes too far.
    He overthrew first base, for an error.
  2. (cricket) A run scored by the batting side when a fielder throws the ball back to the infield, whence it continues to the opposite outfield.

Quotations[edit]