overprotectv.
/ˌəʊvəprəˈtɛkt/, U.S. /ˈˌoʊvərprəˈtɛk(t)/ transitive. To protect (a person, esp. a child) to an excessive degree.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > safety > protection or defence > care, protection, or charge > care for, protect, or have charge of [verb (transitive)] > excessively
baby1744
mollycoddle1851
wet-nurse1873
overprotectc1885
nursery-maid1899
nursemaid1921
nanny1954
nannify1962
c1885 M. Darwin Let. in G. Raverat Period Piece (1952) vi. 98 The upper middle class think they are acting rightly by over-protecting their daughters.
1931 Economica May 186 In practice the method of hiring lower grades of labour over-protects the investor of capital.
1964 J. M. Argyle Psychol. & Social Probl. vi. 80 Women are prone to hysteria, especially when they have had a dominating mother who has over-protected them, thus concentrating attention on bodily complaints.
1999 N. de Fuentes in T. G. Plante & S. M. Demarest Bless me Father viii. 149 Distrust of Anglo church officials also can cause Latino parishes to overprotect abusive Latino priests.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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