oversprinklev.
/ˌəʊvəˈsprɪŋkl/, U.S. /ˌoʊvərˈsprɪŋk(ə)l/ Now rare (chiefly poetic in later use).
transitive. To sprinkle over.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > state of being scattered or dispersed > scatter [verb (transitive)] > sprinkle
warpc1000
sprengeOE
strenkc1175
springa1387
bespring1387
sprinkc1390
sprinklea1400
strinklec1400
springle?a1425
sprinkle?a1425
sprainc1440
bespreng1496
oversprinkle?1548
overstrew1570
besprent1573
insperse1587
insperge1599
asperse1607
besprink1609
disparple?1615
spark1637
swiggle1683
twirl1763
sparkle1787
bespatter1813
spray1829
?1548 Wyll of Deuyll sig. C.iiv Item I geue to the Butchers, new fresh blood to ouerspri [n] kle their stale meate that it may seeme..newly kylled.
1563 2nd Tome Homelyes Rebellion vi, in J. Griffiths Two Bks. Homilies (1859) ii. 593 So is there no country..which..hath not been oversprinkled with the blood of subjects.
1593 T. Lodge Thinke what I Suffred l. 11, in Life & Death William Long Beard When time thy pale with purple ouer-sprinkles, Faith is thy best, thy beautie is a woe thing.
a1657 W. Mure True Crucifix in Wks. (1898) I. 265 Aaron with a purpure flood All over-sprinkled of His owne deare blood, Enters the Holyest Sanctuary of Heaven.
1819 C. Dibdin Young Arthur 199 Every flower of every hue With diamond drops shall o'ersprinkled be.
a1849 E. A. Poe Bells in Poems (1859) 73 The stars that oversprinkle All the heavens.
1868 E. R. B. Lytton Dirge vii. 103 The wild eyebright, That green old ruin'd walls doth oversprinkle.
1956 L. H. Sullivan Autobiogr. Idea xv. 295 Peace, peace, and the..black pool of the sky oversprinkled with stars brilliant and uncountable.
a1962 R. Jeffers Coll. Poetry (1988–91) Splotches inland of leaves of dark green, of heart-shaped ivy Oversprinkled with poppy.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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v.?1548