overreach

overreach
/oh'veuhr reech"/, v.t.
1. to reach or extend over or beyond: The shelf overreached the nook and had to be planed down.
2. to go beyond, as a thing aimed at or sought: an arrow that had overreached the target.
3. to stretch to excess, as by a straining effort: to overreach one's arm and strain a muscle.
4. to defeat (oneself) by overdoing matters, often by excessive eagerness or cunning: In trying to promote disunity he had overreached himself.
5. to strain or exert (oneself or itself) to the point of exceeding the purpose.
6. to get the better of, esp. by deceit or trickery; outwit: Every time you deal with them you wonder if they're overreaching you.
7. to overtake.
8. Obs. to overpower.
v.i.
9. to reach or extend over something.
10. to reach too far: In grabbing for the rope he overreached and fell.
11. to cheat others.
12. (of a running or walking horse) to strike, or strike and injure, the forefoot with the hind foot.
13. Naut. to sail on a tack longer than is desirable or was intended; overstand.
[1250-1300; ME; see OVER-, REACH]

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • overreach — over·reach /ˌō vər rēch/ vt: to make (someone or something) the subject of overreaching this uncounseled defendant was...overreach ed by the prosecution s submission of misinformation to the court Townsend v. Burke, 334 U.S. 736 (1948) must… …   Law dictionary

  • overreach — ► VERB (overreach oneself) ▪ fail through being too ambitious or trying too hard …   English terms dictionary

  • overreach — [ō΄vər rēch′, ō′vər rēch΄] vt. 1. to reach or stretch beyond or above; extend beyond 2. to reach too far for and miss 3. to get the better of by cunning or cheating; outwit vi. 1. to reach too far 2. to strike the forefoot with the hind foot:… …   English World dictionary

  • Overreach — O ver*reach ([=o] v[ e]r*r[=e]ch ), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Overreached}, ({Overraught}, obs.); p. pr. & vb. n. {Overreaching}.] [1913 Webster] 1. To reach above or beyond in any direction. [1913 Webster] 2. To deceive, or get the better of, by… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Overreach — O ver*reach , v. i. 1. To reach too far; as: (a) To strike the toe of the hind foot against the heel or shoe of the forefoot; said of horses. (b) (Naut.) To sail on one tack farther than is necessary. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. To cheat by cunning… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Overreach — O ver*reach ([=o] v[ e]r*r[=e]ch ), n. The act of striking the heel of the fore foot with the toe of the hind foot; said of horses. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • overreach — (v.) c.1300, to reach above or beyond (trans.), from OVER (Cf. over) + REACH (Cf. reach). Meaning to extend over something, to cover it is from c.1400. Sense of to reach beyond one s strength is from 1560s. Related: Overreached; overreaching …   Etymology dictionary

  • overreach — oneself …   Thesaurus of popular words

  • overreach — *cheat, cozen, defraud, swindle …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • overreach — UK [ˌəʊvəˈriːtʃ] / US [ˌoʊvərˈrɪtʃ] verb [intransitive/transitive] Word forms overreach : present tense I/you/we/they overreach he/she/it overreaches present participle overreaching past tense overreached past participle overreached to try to do… …   English dictionary

  • overreach — Date: 14th century transitive verb 1. to reach above or beyond ; overtop 2. to defeat (oneself) by seeking to do or gain too much 3. to get the better of especially in dealing and bargaining and typically by unscrupulous or crafty methods… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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