Where does “overthrow” come from?
Overthrow derives from English throw and throe, from Old English ofer-, from Middle English thrawe, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European upér and upo, meaning to move or turn over.
overthrow (English): To bring about the downfall of (a government, etc.), especially by force; to usurp
Definitions
- To bring about the downfall of (a government, etc.), especially by force; to usurp
Ancestry of “overthrow”, step by step
overthrow traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English throw
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | throw | To hurl; to cause an object to move rapidly... |
| 2 | Middle English | throwen | to throw |
| 3 | Old English | þrāwan | to turn, twist, wind; to turn, twist, curl, rack,... |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | þrāan | to twist |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | þrēaną | to twist, to turn |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | terh₁- | to rub, turn; to drill, pierce |
via Middle English overthrowen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | overthrowen | — |