OVERWORK

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does overwork mean? 

• OVERWORK (noun)
  The noun OVERWORK has 1 sense:

1. the act of working too much or too long

  Familiarity information: OVERWORK used as a noun is very rare.

• OVERWORK (verb)
  The verb OVERWORK has 2 senses:

1. use too much

2. work excessively hard

  Familiarity information: OVERWORK used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• OVERWORK (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of working too much or too long

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

overwork; overworking

Context example:

he became ill from overwork

Hypernyms ("overwork" is a kind of...):

labor; labour; toil (productive work (especially physical work done for wages))

Derivation:

overwork (work excessively hard)

• OVERWORK (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they overwork    ... he / she / it overworks   
Past simple: overworked   
Past participle: overworked   
-ing form: overworking   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Use too much

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Context example:

This play has been overworked

Hypernyms (to "overwork" is one way to...):

process; work; work on (shape, form, or improve a material)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Work excessively hard

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

exploit; overwork

Context example:

he is exploiting the students

Hypernyms (to "overwork" is one way to...):

put to work; work (cause to work)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "overwork"):

overdrive (drive or work too hard)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

overwork; overworking (the act of working too much or too long)

 Context examples 

The tears welled into her eyes—not so much from strength of feeling as from the weakness of chronic overwork.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

“But I must not overwork it,” she broke in.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Don’t overwork yourself.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

When her mother came up to see her, she did not seem to notice any change whatever, but said to me gratefully:—We owe you so much, Dr. Seward, for all you have done, but you really must now take care not to overwork yourself.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

We are overworked, trying to supply the demand.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

It all seemed like a horrible nightmare to me, and I expected that I should suddenly awake, and find myself at home, with the dawn struggling in through the windows, as I had now and again felt in the morning after a day of overwork.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

"No overworking. No working at night. And no children at the mangles. No children anywhere. And a fair wage."

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

He no longer abused himself with short sleep, overwork, and overstudy.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)