over-fearn.

Brit.

/ˌəʊvəˈfɪə/, U.S.

/ˌoʊvərˈfɪ(ə)r/

Origin: Formed within English, by conversion. Etymon: over-fear v.

Etymology: < over-fear v. Compare slightly earlier over-fearing n. at over-fear v. Derivatives, overfearful adj.

rare.

Excessive fear.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > fear > [noun] > state of > excessive fearfulness

over-fearfulnessa1627

over-fearing1631

over-fear1639

paranoia1957

1639 T. Fuller Hist. Holy Warre v. xii. 251 In such over-fear, they were no lesse injurious to themselves then to the western Pilgrimes.

1849 D. Rock Church our Fathers I. i. iv. 309 He strove to awaken within them an over fear of God's wrath toward sin, or an over trust in their own good deeds.

1999 Rivera Live in CNBC News Transcripts (Nexis) 29 Dec. This is a case of police overfear,..overfear for their own safety.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

over-fearv.

Brit.

/ˌəʊvəˈfɪə/, U.S.

/ˌoʊvərˈfɪ(ə)r/

Forms: see over- prefix and fear v.

Origin: Formed within English, by derivation. Etymons: over- prefix, fear v.

Etymology: < over- prefix + fear v.

transitive. To be excessively afraid of. Also intransitive.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > fear > be afraid or fear [verb (intransitive)] > fear excessively

to have one's heart in one's boots (also shoes, heels, hose, etc.)c1450

over-fear1583

1583–91 H. Smith Wks. (1592) 988 If we loue, we do ouer-loue, if we feare, we doe ouer feare.

1855 T. S. Millington Words to win Souls 270 When a man overfeareth anything.., then is the soul troubled.

1923 H. D. in Little Rev. Spring 30 Hope not for over-gain nor over-fear stark loss.

1988 Financial Post (Canada) 26 Dec. 14 This inevitably led to its being vastly overfeared by its opponents.

Derivatives

† over-fearing n. Obsolete rare

ΘΚΠ