overset

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to turn, knock, or tip something over; to overturn

   The sudden struggle ended with the oversetting chair crashing onto the floor.

2. 2
   verb

   to disturb someone mentally or physically; to upset or unsettle

   The alarming news overset him so badly that he had to sit down.

An old compound of over + set, continuing Middle English oversetten and Old English ofersettan. Its many historical senses centered on placing over, overcoming, or throwing out of position; the surviving senses include overturning an object and upsetting a person.

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