overspeak, v. Now rare.
(ˌəʊvəˈspiːk)
[over- 27, 22.]
1. † a. trans. To speak of, or proclaim, too strongly; to overstate, exaggerate. Obs.
| 1628 Bp. Hall Old Relig. (1686) Ded., If fame do not over⁓speak you there are not many soils that yield either so frequent flocks or better fed. 1681 R. Fleming Fulfill. Scripture (1801) II. ii. 16 A truth which none can overspeak, Yea where no possible hyperbole can ever be. |
b. intr. To speak too strongly; to speak extravagantly, exaggerate. Also refl. in same sense.
| a 1656 Hales Gold. Rem. (1673) 229 [He] extremely over⁓worded, and over-spake himself in his expression of it. a 1661 Fuller Worthies, Hants. (1662) 5 Seing ill usage..may make a Sober man Overspeak in his passion. |
2. trans. To surpass or outdo in speaking.
| 1826 Syd. Smith Wks. (1859) II. 97/1 Mr. Jackson strives to out-paint Sir Thomas; Sir Thomas Lethbridge to over⁓speak Mr. Canning. |
So ˈoverˈspeaking vbl. n., too much speaking; exaggeration; ˈoverˈspeaking ppl. a., that speaks too much.
| 1609 Overbury State of France (1626) 28 In their Conuersation, the Custome [of] shifting, and ouerspeaking, hath quite ouercome the shame of it. a 1610 Healey Theophrastus (1636) 28 Of Loquacitie or Over-speaking. 1612 Bacon Ess., Judicature (Arb.) 454 An ouerspeaking Iudge is no well tuned Cymball. |