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overdefine

verb

Etymology

From over- + define.

  1. derived from dēfīniō — “limit, settle, define”
  2. derived from definer
  3. inherited from definen
  4. prefixed as overdefine — “over + define”

Definitions

  1. To define too rigidly, or in too much depth.

    • Most students want to overdefine every flower and leaf. In the assignment above, I spoke of “the essence of flowers.” If you overdefine and explain every petal, you will lose the sense of softness and mystery.
    • The adolescent search for a new and a reliable identity can perhaps best be seen in the persistent endeavor to define, to overdefine, and to redefine oneself and each other in often ruthless comparison […]

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for overdefine. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA