Etymology From Middle English overwerken, possibly from Old English oferwyrċan (“to overwork, overlay”), equivalent to over- + work. Cognate with Dutch overwerken (“to overwork”).
1
To make (someone or something) work too hard.
to overwork a horse
For some years locomotives and coaches have been overworked and undermaintained to a degree without precedent in British railway history, and the leeway in maintenance now to be made up is very great.1945 November snd December, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 329:
4 more examples
The cracking sound, he explained, as far as I, a non-plumber, could understand, was the sound of the overworked, undermaintained and weirdly installed heating unit’s core rupturing and spilling water into the basement.2007 February 18, Jake Mooney, “A Case of the Shivers”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 26 Nov 2022:
If you live in Washington D.C., Houston or Atlanta, it might be time to take a vacation. Those three cities, followed by Seattle and Chicago, are the most overworked cities in the United States, according to a study released by the mobile technology company Kisi this past week.2019 August 10, Harmeet Kaur, “The most overworked cities in the US might surprise you”, in CNN, archived from the original on 27 Aug 2020:
It turns out that overworking your brain with either physical or mental exercise may lower your ability to delay self-gratification.2019 September 26, Sandee LaMotte, “Too much exercise could lead to bad decisions on what you eat and buy”, in CNN, archived from the original on 02 Mar 2025:
One of China’s most prominent e-commerce companies is facing intense public backlash over allegations that it overworks its employees.2021 January 13, Laura He and Nectar Gan, “Pinduoduo under fire as China turns on its tech titans”, in CNN Business, archived from the original on 06 Feb 2025:
2
To work too hard.
3
To fill too full of work; to crowd with labour.
My days with toil are overwrought.1874, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Aigalades:
4
To decorate all over.
overwork
noun
UK /ˈəʊvəˌwɜːk/ · CA, US /ˈoʊvɚˌwɝk/
Etymology From Middle English overwerc, from Old English oferweorc, oferġeweorc (“an overwork, superstructure, tomb”), equivalent to over- + work.
1
A superstructure.
2
Excessive work.
Various disordered conditions consequent upon overwork, which are characteristic of modern civilisation.1878, Phosphorus in functional disorders of the nervous system, induced by overwork and other influences incidental to modern life:
He says that more men are killed by overwork than the importance of this world justifies. He maintains that overwork slew Pansay who died under his hands about three years ago.1888, Rudyard Kipling, “The Phantom Rickshaw”, in The Phantom 'Rickshaw and Other Tales, Allahabad: A.H. Wheeler and Co., page 8:
4 more examples
[…] it had obtained from its constituents rather antiquated and inefficient equipment, which scarcely stood up to overwork; […].1946 July and August, K. Westcott Jones, “Isle of Wight Central Railway—2”, in Railway Magazine, page 244:
When it comes to overwork, denial looms large.1996, Wilkie Au, Urgings of the Heart: A Spirituality of Integration:
The Japanese term for sudden death from overwork.2003, Ernie J Zelinski, Joy of Not Working: A Book for the Retired, Unemployed, and Overworked:
In July, the government legislated to reduce the maximum working hours from a staggering 68 per week to 40, with 12 hours of paid overtime, in what President Moon Jae-in said would be an “important opportunity to move away from a society of overwork and move toward a society of spending time with families.”2018 November 4, Jake Kwon and Alexandra Field, “South Koreans are working themselves to death. Can they get their lives back?”, in CNN, archived from the original on 13 Jan 2025: