Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To think too highly or confidently, especially of one's self; be arrogantly conceited; presume: now chiefly in the present participle.
  • To make conceited or arrogant.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To think too highly or arrogantly; to regard one's own thinking or conclusions too highly; hence, to be egotistic, arrogant, or rash, in opinion; to think conceitedly; to presume.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb ergative To think too highly or arrogantly of (oneself).
  • verb To make or render arrogant and overweening.
  • verb proscribed To overwhelm.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English overwēnen ("To be presumptuous, be over-confident; presume"), from Old English oferwennan ("ang") and Old English oferwenian ("to be proud, become insolent, or presumptuous").

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Examples

  • [3972] Magna petis Phaeton et quae non viribus istis, &c., as James and John, the sons of Zebedee, did ask they knew not what: nescis temerarie nescis; thou dost, as another Suffenus, overween thyself; thou art wise in thine own conceit, but in other more mature judgment altogether unfit to manage such a business.

    Anatomy of Melancholy 2007

  • Some are too partial, as friends to overween, others come with a prejudice to carp, vilify, detract, and scoff;

    Anatomy of Melancholy 2007

  • "I am the servant of a distant queen Who can overween and intervene Can we finally make her obsolete?

    Australia's Musical Character(s) 2008

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