overwork

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To make someone or something work too hard.

   The manager was criticized for overworking his staff during the busy season.

2. 2
   verb

   To work too hard or for too long.

   He overworked for years and eventually became seriously ill.

3. 3
   noun

   The act of working too much or for too long.

   They became ill from overwork and stress.

From Middle English overwerken, possibly from Old English oferwyrċan (“to overwork, overlay”), equivalent to over- + work. Cognate with Dutch overwerken (“to overwork”).

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