Etymograph

English

overdrive

Overdrive comes from Old English oferdrīfan ‘to overcome, defeat, repel, refute’, from drīfan ‘to drive’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰreybʰ-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰreybʰ-‘to drive, push’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*drībaną‘to drive, push, compel to go’reconstructed
  3. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*drīban‘to drive, to push, to compel to go’reconstructed
  4. Old Englishc. 450–1150drīfan‘to drive’
  5. Old English, derivedc. 450–1150oferdrīfan‘to overcome, defeat, repel, refute’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500overdriven
  7. Englishtodayoverdrive

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰreybʰ-‘to drive, push’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*drībaną‘to drive, push, compel to go’reconstructed
  3. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*drīban‘to drive, to push, to compel to go’reconstructed
  4. Old Englishc. 450–1150drīfan‘to drive’
  5. Old English, derivedc. 450–1150oferdrīfan‘to overcome, defeat, repel, refute’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500overdriven
  7. Englishtodayoverdrive

Formed from over- + drive

Proto-Indo-European *úp

Proto-Indo-European *upér ‘over’

Proto-Germanic *uber ‘over’

English over-

Proto-Indo-European *dʰreybʰ- ‘to drive’

Proto-Germanic *drībaną ‘to drive’

Proto-West Germanic *drīban ‘to drive’

Old English drīfan ‘to drive’

Middle English driven ‘to drive’

English drive

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *dʰreybʰ- ‘to drive, push’

drift, 2 more

through Proto-Germanic *drībaną ‘to drive, push, compel to go’

driving, 1 more

through Old English drīfan ‘to drive’

driver, drove, 2 more

Today it means

verb To drive too hard, or far, or beyond strength.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰreybʰ- / overdrive

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