Etymology

overawe

over·awe
O1V4E1R1A1W4E1

Today it means: To restrain, subdue, or control by awe; to cow. Full definition →

First used 16th c.English awe ← French auve ← Middle English over-
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*úp
  2. Proto-Indo-European*upér
  3. Proto-Germanic*uber
  4. Old Englishofer-
  5. Middle Englishover-
  6. Englishover-
  7. Frenchauve
  8. Englishawe
  9. English todayoverawe

From over- + awe.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 16th c. To restrain, subdue, or control by awe; to cow.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.