Middle English Dictionary Entry
overthinken v.
Entry Info
| Forms | overthinken v. Also overthink(e; p. overthoughte, etc. & (early) oferthuhte; ppl. overthogt. |
| Etymology | From thinken v.(1). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To grieve, have regrets, be sorry; ~ of, repent of (sth.), be sorry about; (b) to regret (sth.).
Associated quotations
a
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)5639 : Than ouerthowhte the kyng ful sore..of the dewkys deth.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)5643 : The kyng ouerthowhte welsore of the aventure þat was fallen thore.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)1721 : Nou it is to late to ouer-think; As I haue brew, so most I drink.
b
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)5.951 : Thei þat kepte hir, thei shul it ouere-thynke If it be proued thei ȝoue hir eyther mete or drynke.
- a1500 GRom.(Cmb Kk.1.6)332 : Herith my counceill, & ye shull not ouerþink [Add: forthynke] it.
2.
To grieve (sb.), make (sb.) sorry; displease (sb.): (a) with expressed subj. (often it or that accompanied by phrase or clause constituting the logical subject); (b) impers. hire overthoughte, she repented; me (the) ~, I (you) regret (sth.), etc.; (c) ppl. overthought, anxious, worried.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)8920 : Ta Þeȝȝ misstenn þeȝȝre child, & itt hemm offerrþuhhte.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)19596 : Johan Bapptisste wisste itt wel & itt himm oferrþuhhte.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)2350 : Hure ouer-þoughte [vr. forþouht] mykel more Þe wraþthe of hure fader þe kyng Wel more þan any oþer þyng.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)7213 : Þer-fore nede y mot parte fro ȝow, & þat ouer-þynkes me ful sore, ffor pouere y am, & may namore.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)3161 : Þou he lye in hell and stynke, It schal me neuere ouyrþynke.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)60/10 : Alwey whan men spekeþ good of any wyȝt tofore hym, he fyndeþ euere-more a bute, and seiþ..'certes he is a good man or a good womman, and I loue hym wel, ne were such þing, and it ouer-þinkeþ [vr. forþinkeþ] me gretly.'
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)10/69 : I see wel, and that me overthinketh, that wit in thee fayleth.
b
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)2732 : Scho said, 'for-soth, ne smile i noght;' And if schoe did it, hir ouerthoght.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)130/9-11 : 'Me ouyr-thynkyth þat I met wyth þe, for me semyth þat þu seyst ryth good wordys.' Than seyd sche vn-to hym, 'Ser, ouyrthynkyth ne repentith ȝow not þat ȝe met wyth me.'
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)12692 : Ȝit were þe bettere ha ben at þe ost Þan fort ha foched þy deþ wyþ bost..ffor now þe ouer-þynkeþ þou come so ney.
c
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)2219 : Oc ðe breðere ne wisten it nogt Hu ðis dede wurðe wrogt, Oc alle he weren ouer-ðogt.