overgrow, v.
(əʊvəˈgrəʊ)
[over- 8, etc.]
1. trans. To grow over, to cover with growth; to overrun, overspread. (Now chiefly in pa. pple.)
| 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 2190 Þis oritore is vgly, with erbez ouer-growen. c 1440 Partonope 4338 Wyth here hys vysage was ouergrow. 1535 Coverdale Hos. ix. 6 The nettles shall ouergrowe their pleasaunt goodes. 1599 T. M[oufet] Silkwormes 33 Hence leprosie the Cuckoes ouergrew. a 1661 Fuller Worthies, York (1662) 228 He was..kept so long in Prison, Manicled by the wrests, till the Flesh had over⁓grown his Irons. 1725 Bradley Fam. Dict. s.v. Pruning, The best time to prune Trees is in February..that so the Tree may easily overgrow the Knot. 1855 Kingsley Heroes, Theseus i. 196 He found a great flat stone, all overgrown with ivy. |
b. transf. and fig.: sometimes with the notion of ‘overcome, overburden’.
| 1471 Ripley Comp. Alch. vii. ii. in Ashm. Theatr. Chem. Brit. (1652) 169 That watry humors not overgrow the blood. 1565 T. Stapleton Fortr. Faith 84 b, Heresy can not continew and owergrow the true church. 1643 Trapp Comm. Gen. xxiii. 2 Here Jacob forgat himself, when so overgrown with grief for his Joseph. 1701 Cibber Love makes Man i. 5 To Buy and sell my stock to the best Advantage, and Cure my Cattle when they are over-grown with Labour. 1861 Geo. Eliot Silas M. i, Their imagination..is all overgrown by recollections that are a perpetual pasture to fear. |
† c. intr. To be or become grown over. Obs.
| a 1643 J. Shute Judgem. & Mercy (1645) 102 The Field unplowed overgrowes with weeds. |
2. trans. To grow over so as to choke; to grow more vigorously than. Also fig. [over- 21, 22.]
| 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §146 [The garden] must be weded, or els the wede wyll ouergrowe the herbes. 1605 Camden Rem. 13 But the Britishe overgrewe the Latine. 1623 T. Scot Highw. God 60 The tares ouergrow the wheat. 1896 F. B. Jevons Introd. Hist. Relig. viii. 89 It overgrows healthy social tendencies and kills them. |
3. intr. To grow too large; ‘to grow beyond the fit or natural size’ (J.); to increase unduly. (Perfect tenses often with be.) [over- 26.]
| 1490 Caxton Eneydos xxxviii. 129 Siluya had norisshed a herte [= hart] tyll that he was ouergrowen and grete. 1581 Marbeck Bk. of Notes 326 She liueth long: but at the length hir beake ouergroweth, so as she cannot receiue meate, but onelie is faine to sucke in the bloud of it. 1619 W. Sclater Exp. 1 Thess. (1630) 58 Before Atheisme quite ouergrowes. 1659 Wood Life (O.H.S.) I. 282 One..Kinaston, a merchant,..with a long beard and haire over⁓grown, was at the Miter-Inn; and faigning himself a Patriarch. 1709 Addison Tatler No. 100 ¶3 Many others, who were overgrown in Wealth and Possessions. 1842 Manning Serm. viii. (1848) I. 108 To him the world is overgrown, and all its cares are swollen to an unnatural greatness. |
† b. To grow too much or too luxuriantly. Obs.
| 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §124 The wedes yf they ouer grow wyll kyll the settes. 1541 R. Copland Galyen's Terapeutyke 2 F iij, They that are purged as it behoueth..in them the flesshe ouergroweth nat. |
4. trans. To grow over, above, or beyond; to grow too big or tall for; to outgrow (clothes, etc.). to overgrow oneself, to grow beyond one's strength, proper size, etc. [over- 13, 23.]
| c 1536 Sir A. Windsor in M. A. E. Wood Lett. R. & Illust. Ladies II. 217 She hath overgrown all that ever she hath. 1712 Mortimer Husb. ii. 231 If the [hop] Binds be very strong, and much over-grow the Poles, some advise to strike off their Heads with a long Switch. 1833 H. Martineau Tale of Tyne iii. 63, I think government should, while giving privileges, take care that they do not overgrow just bounds. 1868 Mrs. Whitney P. Strong ix, We don't outgrow, but only overgrow, many things. 1872 Routledge's Ev. Boy's Ann. 102/1 The plant apparently overgrows itself. |
† b. fig. To grow beyond, surpass, or exceed in some quality. Obs.
| 1399 Langl. Rich. Redeles iii. 344 This was a wondir world..Þat gromes ouere-grewe so many grette maistris. 1578 Chr. Prayers in Priv. Prayers (1851) 465 So she may over⁓grow in reigning the reign of her father. 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. iii. vi. §37 No wonder then, if easily they did over⁓grow others in wealth. |
Hence overˈgrowing vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| 1541 R. Copland Galyen's Terapeutyke 2 F ij, In the moste parte of them come none ouergrowynge nor superfluyte of flesshe. 1612 Woodall Surg. Mate Wks. (1653) 213 For the overgrowings of the gums in the Scurvy. 1677 G. Mountagu in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) I. 326 Right measures..against this powerful and overgrowing interest of France. 1795–1814 Wordsw. Excursion i. 930 That secret spirit of humanity Which, 'mid her plants, and weeds, and flowers, And silent overgrowings, still survived. |