Where does “overawe” come from?
Overawe comes from Middle English over- combined with Old English eall, ultimately deriving from Proto-Indo-European h₂egʰ- and al-, which relate to concepts of greatness and growth.
overawe (English): To restrain, subdue, or control by awe; to cow
Definitions
- To restrain, subdue, or control by awe; to cow
Ancestry of “overawe”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Over- | Above, or higher |
| 2 | English | over | Discontinued; ended or concluded; Thoroughly;... |
| 3 | Middle English | over | riverbank, seashore, brink |
| 4 | Old English | ōfer | riverbank, seashore, brink, edge, margin, border |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | obar | over, above |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | uber | over; over, above |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | upér | above; over |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | upó | under, below |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ewp- | — |