overdo
verbUK /ˌəʊvəˈduː/ · US /ˌoʊvɚˈdu/
Etymology From Middle English overdon, from Old English oferdōn, equivalent to over- + do.
1
To do too much; to exceed what is proper or true in doing; to carry too far.
- I overdid the sweets during the holidays and put on some weight.
- […] o’erstep not the modesty of nature: for anything so overdone is from the purpose of playing, whose end […] is to hold, as ’twere, the mirror up to nature;c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
4 more examples
- [B]elieve me, / That servant overdoes, that’s too officious; / And in presuming to direct your master, / You argue him of weakness, and your self / Of arrogance and impertinence.1636 (first performance; published 1655), Philip Massinger, “The Bashful Lover”, in W[illiam] Gifford, editor, The Plays of Philip Massinger, […], volume IV, London: […] G[eorge] and W[illiam] Nicol; […] by W[illiam] Bulmer and Co. […], published 1805, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 351:
- The merchant importers […] endeavour, as well as they can, to suit their occasional importations to what, they judge, is likely to be the immediate demand. With all their attention, however, they sometimes over-do the business, and sometimes under-do it.1776 March 9, Adam Smith, chapter 5, in An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. […], volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Strahan; and T[homas] Cadell, […], →OCLC, book I (Of the Causes of Improvement in the Productive Powers of Labour, […]), page 54:
- Jo helps me with the sewing, and insists on doing all sorts of hard jobs. I should be afraid she might overdo, if I didn’t know her ‘moral fit’ wouldn’t last long.1868, Louisa M[ay] Alcott, chapter 16, in Little Women: […], 1st part, Boston, Mass.: Roberts Brothers, published 1869, →OCLC, page 247:
- Carol had overdone the ventilation and the room was cold.1952, Patricia Highsmith, chapter 16, in The Price of Salt, New York: Norton, published 2004, page 200:
2
To cook for too long.
- to overdo the meat
- [He] talked of a feast where he had been the day before, but that the venison was over-done.1765, [Oliver] Goldsmith, “Essay=V”, in Essays. […], London: […] W[illiam] Griffin […], →OCLC, page 43:
1 more example
- Well, for the future, when you cook another whale-steak for my private table here, the capstan, I’ll tell you what to do so as not to spoil it by overdoing. Hold the steak in one hand, and show a live coal to it with the other; that done, dish it; d’ye hear?1851 November 14, Herman Melville, chapter 64, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 332:
3
To give (someone or something) too much work; to require too much effort or strength of (someone); to use up too much of (something).
- to overdo one’s strength
- Good God! hovv poore a thing is vvretched man? / So fraile, that let him ſtriue the beſt he can, / VVith euery little blaſt hee’s ouerdon.1620, Fra[ncis] Quarles, “Sect[ion] 2”, in A Feast for Wormes. Set Forth in a Poeme of the History of Ionah, London: […] Felix Kyngston, for Richard Moore, […], →OCLC, signature D2, recto:
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- And you’re so weak I’le not pursue you, For fear lest I should overdo you.1680, Matthew Stevenson, “Acontius to Cydippe”, in The Wits Paraphras’d, or, Paraphrase upon Paraphrase in a Burlesque on the Several Late Translations of Ovids Epistles, London: Will. Cademan, page 134:
- […] look abroad and see who are the people that complain of weariness, listlessness, and dejection? You will not find them among such as are overdone with work, but with pleasure.1799, Hannah More, chapter 16, in Strictures on the Modern System of Female Education, volume 2, London: T. Cadell Jun. and W. Davies, page 156:
- “Bern, you’re weak—trembling—you talk wildly,” cried Bess. “You’ve overdone your strength. [...]”1912 January, Zane Grey, chapter 18, in Riders of the Purple Sage […], New York, N.Y.; London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, →OCLC, page 268:
- “Oh!” said Mrs. Venables, “how tiresome it all is. I’m sure you’ll wear your brains right out with all these problems. You mustn’t overdo yourself. [...]”1934, Dorothy L. Sayers, “A Full Peal of Grandsire Triples”, in The Nine Tailors, London: Victor Gollancz, published 1975, Part 5:
4
Obsolete To do more than (someone); to do (something) to a greater extent.
- In a delicate Garden, where Art hath shewed it’s vtmost, yee shall meet with Roses, Gillyflowers, and Fountaines of Alabaster and Iasper; but thou wilt not so much admire this, as if thou shouldst light on these dainties in a Desert, or in some craggie Mountain, where the hand of nature shall ouerdoe that of art and Industrie.1629, Cristóbal de Fonseca, translated by James Mabbe, Deuout Contemplations, London: Adam Islip, Sermon 2, page 36:
- [...] it would be their shame for ever to be overdone in mischiefe, nor were they here exceeded.1654, John Cleveland, The Idol of the Clownes, London, page 35:
2 more examples
- the Turks delight but little in the outward Ornament of Houses, nor aspire in the least to overdo each other in the Europaean Custom of Polite and Solid Architecture, yet do they far more exceed us in the rich Ornaments and Contrivances of their Pavilions,1709, Aaron Hill, chapter 4, in A Full and Just Account of the Present State of the Ottoman Empire, London: for the author, page 28:
- But in the field were Lancelot’s kith and kin, […] / Strong men, and wrathful that a stranger knight / Should do and almost overdo the deeds / Of Lancelot;1859, Alfred Tennyson, “Elaine”, in Idylls of the King, 1859 edition, London: Edward Moxon & Co., […], →OCLC, page 171:
- Derived terms
- overdoer, overdoneness