overwhelm: Meaning and Definition of

o•ver•whelm

Pronunciation: (ō"vur-hwelm', -welm'), [key]
— v.t.
  1. to overcome completely in mind or feeling: overwhelmed by remorse.
  2. to overpower or overcome, esp. with superior forces; destroy; crush: Roman troops were overwhelmed by barbarians.
  3. to cover or bury beneath a mass of something, as floodwaters, debris, or an avalanche; submerge: Lava from erupting Vesuvius overwhelmed the city of Pompeii.
  4. to load, heap, treat, or address with an overpowering or excessive amount of anything: a child overwhelmed with presents; to overwhelm someone with questions.
  5. to overthrow.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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