Where does “oversway” come from?
oversway (English) comes from English over, from Middle English over, from Old English ōfer, from Proto-West Germanic obar, from Proto-Germanic uber, from Proto-Indo-European upér, from Proto-Indo-European upó, from Proto-Indo-European h₃ewp-.
oversway (English): To hold sway over; to have power or dominion...
Definitions
- To hold sway over; to have power or dominion...
Ancestry of “oversway”, step by step
oversway traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English over
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | over | Discontinued; ended or concluded; Thoroughly;... |
| 2 | Middle English | over | riverbank, seashore, brink |
| 3 | Old English | ōfer | riverbank, seashore, brink, edge, margin, border |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | obar | over, above |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | uber | over; over, above |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | upér | above; over |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | upó | under, below |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ewp- | — |
via English sway
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | sway | The act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or... |
| 2 | English | swear | To take an oath, to promise; To use offensive,... |
| 3 | Middle English | sware | Alternative form of square; A response to a query... |
| 4 | Old English | swaru | an oath, vow |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | swarō | a solemn statement or affirmation; oath; vow |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | swer- | to ache; to fester; wound; injury |