overactv.
/ˌəʊvərˈakt/, U.S. /ˌoʊvərˈæk(t)/ 1. intransitive. To act in excess of what is proper, necessary, or normal; to go too far in action.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > sufficient quantity, amount, or degree > excessive amount or degree > be excessive [verb (intransitive)]
overdoa1325
exceed1488
to pass, be above or beyond, God's forbodec1540
overreacha1568
overlaunch1579
overact1611
overboil1611
to overstep the mark (also line)1827
to cut it too fat1836
to break bounds1856
the mind > goodness and badness > wrongdoing > misbehaviour > [verb (intransitive)] > by going too far
overact1611
the world > action or operation > prosperity > advancement or progress > outdoing or surpassing > outdo or surpass [verb (intransitive)] > go beyond bounds > go too far
overdoa1325
outreacha1400
overreacha1568
to overshoot the mark1583
to shoot over1605
overact1611
to outrun the constable1631
to overstep the mark (also line)1827
1611 B. Jonson Catiline ii. sig. D5 You ouer act when you should vnderdoe. View more context for this quotation
a1657 G. Daniel Raigne Richard II in Poems (1878) 218 Now what was too Remiss or too Seuere, What he did over-act or vnder-doe, Was All presented & discusséd here.
1671 A. Marvell Let. 6 Apr. in Poems & Lett. (1971) II. 138 Indemnity..for those who haue bin punishd by the former law as for them who have overacted in the Execution of it.
1767 R. Bentley Philodamus ii. iv. 36 He's one of those..By hanging on the great, who's learn'd their manners, Or rather overacts.
1911 C. A. Herter Biol. Aspects Human Probl. ii. iv. 108 If we revert once again to the defensive or self-preservative reactions of the cells, we find in them a tendency to overact on stimulation.
1984 Christian Sci. Monitor (Nexis) 12 July 23 The state too often goes in with a cannon... It overacts.
1994 Guardian 15 Aug. ii. 10/2 The Newcastle team helped to identify antibodies against the receptor for thyro-globulin, and show their role in stimulating the thyroid to overact, causing Grave's disease (hyper-thyroidism).
2.
a. intransitive. To act a part or portray an emotion, etc., in an exaggerated manner or with unnecessary emphasis.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > exaggeration, hyperbole > exaggerate [verb (intransitive)] > in action
overdoa1325
to break to an extreme1592
overact1631
to fly high (or a high pitch)1655
outgrabe1855
1631 B. Jonson Staple of Newes Induct., in Wks. II Which amorous Prince makes loue in drinke, or doe's ouer-act prodigiously in beaten satten.
1640 S. Harding Sicily & Naples iii. vi. 47 Ha! this 'tis to over-act; how have I almost fool'd my self, out Of my owne plots.
1698 W. Philips Revengeful Queen ii. 13 Have a Care of over acting; for Women render their Virtue suspected, as Men do their Courage, when they pretend to it, too much.
1773 O. Goldsmith She stoops to Conquer v. 88 I like modesty in its place well enough. But this is over-acting, young gentleman.
1864 J. S. Le Fanu Uncle Silas I. x. 102 I felt instinctively that Madame was shamming. She was over-acting; her transitions were too violent.
1885 M. Collins Prettiest Woman in Warsaw I. ii. 36 She's a grand creature,..but she over-acts.
1933 Times 25 Sept. 10/ b The Iago of Signor Scelzo was all that Iago should be, and in particular, he did not overact.
1975 Country Life 30 Oct. 1133/1 ‘I'm over-acting,’ he admits.
1992 Tucson (Arizona) Weekly 29 Jan. 22/3 She's a weepy actress with a strong tendency to overact.
b. transitive. To act (a part, character, etc.) in an exaggerated manner.In early quots. perhaps with it in intransitive sense.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > exaggeration, hyperbole > exaggerate [verb (transitive)] > in action
overdoOE
overacta1640
society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > acting > act [verb (transitive)] > act in specific manner
misact1609
tragedize1755
overact1760
overplay1767
to walk through ——1824
underact1847
to play down to ——1880
routine1897
underplay1897
milk1921
ham1933
hoke1935
to camp it up1957
to play for laughs (also a laugh)1963
undercharacterize1970
a1640 P. Massinger Beleeue as you List (1976) v. i. 132 You disgrace your courtship in overactinge it my lord.
1660 A. Wood Life & Times (1891) I. 370 So zealous a worshipper towards the east in his College chappell, that, overacting it, he became ridiculous.
1685 W. Clark Grand Tryal IV. 27 The rage of mad-men, or allow thee so To cry, and overact a man of woe.
1706 C. Trotter Revolution of Sweden 64 When Men wou'd seem what they Are not, they're apt to overact their Part.
1760 R. Lloyd Actor in Ann. Reg. 218 Of all the evils which the Stage molest, I hate your fool who overacts his jest.
a1824 G. Byron Wks. (1898–1904) 446 Then rolls his pious eye, As when the dying vicar will not die! Nor feels, forsooth, emotion at his heart; But all Dissemblers overact their part.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. viii. 332 That cabal which domineered at Whitehall consisted partly of fanatics..and partly of hypocrites who, for lucre,..overacted the zeal characteristic of neophytes.
1865 C. Gayarré Dr. Bluff In Russia i. vi. 17 You overact the part you have assumed—such manners are not yours—they are not natural—they can't be the manners of any human being. The exaggeration is gross.
1902 W. B. Yeats Let. 21 Apr. (1994) III. 175 Edward Martin said to me that your brother over-acted his part... I was trying to find out the cause of the laughter, and as you know was planning alterations in the play.
1939 A. Huxley After Many a Summer i. 4 The chauffeur.., slightly over-acting the part of an old-world negro retainer, bowed, smiled toothily.
1999 Gazette (Montreal) (Nexis) 27 Feb. d3 He seems uncomfortable in the role of hapless jester here and overacts the part to compensate.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > prosperity > advancement or progress > outdoing or surpassing > outdo or surpass [verb (transitive)]
overstyeOE
overshinec1175
overgoc1225
passc1225
surmountc1369
forpassc1374
overmatcha1375
overpassa1382
to pass overa1393
overcomec1400
outpass?a1425
exceedc1425
precedec1425
superexcelc1429
transcendc1430
precel?a1439
outcut1447
overgrowc1475
to come over ——a1479
excel1493
overleapa1500
vanquish1533
outweigh1534
prevent1540
better1548
preferc1550
outgo1553
surpassa1555
exsuperate1559
cote1566
overtop1567
outrun1575
outstrip1579
outsail1580
overruna1586
pre-excel1587
outbid1589
outbrave1589
out-cote1589
top1590
outmatch1593
outvie1594
superate1595
surbravec1600
oversile1608
over-height1611
overstride1614
outdoa1616
outlustrea1616
outpeera1616
outstrikea1616
outrival1622
antecede1624
out-top1624
antecell1625
out-pitch1627
over-merit1629
outblazea1634
surmatch1636
overdoa1640
overact1643
outact1644
worst1646
overspana1657
outsoar1674
outdazzle1691
to cut down1713
ding1724
to cut out1738
cap1821
by-pass1848
overtower1850
pretergress1851
outray1876
outreach1879
cut1884
outperform1937
outrate1955
one-up1963
1643 E. Bowles Plaine Eng. 6 Wise as they take themselves, [they] may be over-acted in their own designs.
1647 Case Kingdom 5 To supplant the Bishops..and over-act them at their owne game.
1657 P. Heylyn Ecclesia Vindicata i. i. 89 Candidianus, a Count Imperiall..over-acted any thing that Cromwell did.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > cause to operate [verb (transitive)] > too powerfully
overact1649
the world > action or operation > prosperity > success > mastery or superiority > have or gain mastery or superiority over [verb (transitive)] > overcome or overwhelm > specifically of things
to come over ——OE
accumberc1275
encumber1377
drown1398
overbear1535
to usurp on or upon1594
overact1649
1649 H. Hammond Mysterium Religionis Recognitum 3 Nothing being more reasonable, then that he whose Reason is Prototypall..should (for his Soveraignty) over-rule it, as he, as Founder of Nature over-acts necessary Agents, as he pleaseth.
1663 J. Spencer Disc. Prodigies ii. 44 The true fears of religion would be ready to flie away (like the spirits of over-heated liquours) if overacted by such strong and continued jealousies of heaven.
1669 W. Simpson Hydrologia Chymica 149 The one by its greater proportion, over-acts or overcomes the other.
1677 R. Gilpin Dæmonol. Sacra ii. vii. 309 By overacting their fears, or astonishing their minds.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > performance arts > drama > acting > act [verb (transitive)] > a part or character > repeatedly
overact1653
1653 J. Hall Paradoxes 44 Hee that killed himselfe, out of a wearinesse of overacting the same things.
1819 P. B. Shelley Cenci in Compl. Poet. Wks. (1904) 321 This woful story So did I overact in my sick dreams.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > prosperity > advancement or progress > outdoing or surpassing > outdo or surpass [verb (transitive)] > go beyond (bounds)
transcenda1340
exceedc1374
overwenda1375
overpassa1382
passc1390
to pass beyond ——1429
outreacha1568
overlash1581
pretergress1583
outrun1589
overslipa1592
surpass1592
to step over ——1599
outstep?1611
outstrip1612
overrun1612
outpass1635
pose1636
over-burst1856
overact1858
overstride1925
1858 H. Bushnell Serm. for New Life (1869) xii. 169 As he once overacted his will in self-conduct, so now he is underacting it in quietism.
Derivatives
ˌoverˈacting adj. and n.
ΚΠ
1647 Epil. to Fletcher & Middleton's Nice Valour in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. 165 He..feares our over-acting passions may, As not adorne, deface his labour'd Play.
1711 G. Mackenzie Lives Writers Sc. Nation II. 74 A Man of a great Spirit and Learn'd, but of an overacting Nature, never consulting his own Strength.
1894 Times 2 Aug. 3/6 Mme. Calvé has repeated the two or three parts..so often that she has acquired a most regrettable trick of over-acting.
1997 Big Issue 2 June 24/2 If you think a night at the theatre involves a stage full of overacting old luvvies think again.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2004; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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