overtreatv.
/ˌəʊvəˈtriːt/, U.S. /ˌoʊvərˈtrit/ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > motivation > persuasion > persuade (a person) [verb (transitive)] > persuade or prevail upon > by entreaty
foldc1275
entreatc1425
overtreata1547
over-entreat1627
request1632
beseecha1718
a1547 Earl of Surrey tr. Virgil Certain Bks. Aenæis (1557) iv. sig. Fii Why lettes he not my wordes sinke in his eares So harde to ouertreate?
1593 G. Harvey Pierces Supererogation Printers Postscr. sig. Gg I was finally entreated, or rather ouertreated, to giue them also their welcome in Print.
2. transitive. To treat to a greater extent than is usual or intended; spec. to provide with excessive medical treatment. Also intransitive: to provide excessive medical treatment.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medical treatment > [verb (intransitive)] > prescribe treatment > overprescribe
overtreat1873
overprescribe1953
the world > health and disease > healing > medical treatment > [verb (transitive)] > prescribe treatment > overprescribe
overtreat1873
overprescribe1953
1873 G. E. Walton Mineral Springs of U.S. & Canada 75 Metallic poisoning... We may also class certain cases of syphilis that have been overtreated by mercurials under this head.
1908 H. James Portrait of Lady (rev. ed.) I. Pref. p. xxi So early was to begin my tendency to overtreat, rather than undertreat..my subject.
1946 Canad. Jrnl. Econ. & Polit. Sci. 12 34 He tends to overtreat his patients. He finds too many things wrong.
1978 A. Kaye & D. C. Matchan Reflexology (1979) ix. 85 Moderation..is an absolute necessity. Eunice Stopfel's advice was that ‘it is better to undertreat than to overtreat’.
1990 N.Y. Times Mag. 5 Aug. 64/2 500 of the 1,000 neonatologists polled felt they were overtreating handicapped infants out of fear of prosecution.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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