overfret

O1V4E1R1F4R1E1T1

verb

To fret excessively.

Scrabble 14
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Meanings

verboverfret (third-person singular simple present overfrets, present participle overfretting, simple past overfretted or overfret or overfrate, past participle overfretted or overfret or overfrate or (usually in compounds) overfretten)

present singular third person overfrets · participle present overfretting · past overfretted · past overfrate · participle past overfretted · participle past overfrate · in compounds participle past usually overfretten

  1. intransitivereflexiveTo fret excessively.

    But now come down from your pedestal, and do not overfret yourself, because your hand, or your mind, or your soul, will not fulfil all that you would have it.

    1851, Arthur Helps, Companions of my solitude, page 201
    1 more example

    "I believe it was," replied Lord Norbourne, kindly taking his companion's hand. "I have learnt to think of my loss with a sadness that soothes me. I turn to her image when overfretted with worldly cares. I hope almost as she hoped for our re-union."

    1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Asking for an Invitation”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 23

Origin

From over- + fret. Compare Middle English overfreten, ovirfretyn (past participle).

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

overfret. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overfret

MLA

“overfret.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overfret. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “overfret,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overfret.

Source: overfret on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.