different between havoc vs overthrow

English

Alternative forms

• havock (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English havok, havyk, from Old French havok in the phrase crier havok (“cry havoc”) a signal to soldiers to seize plunder, from Old French crier (“cry out, shout”) + havot (“pillaging, looting”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?hæv.?k/

Noun

havoc (usually uncountable, plural havocs)

1. widespread devastation, destruction

   • Ye gods, what havoc does ambition make / Among your works!
2. mayhem

Usage notes

The noun havoc is most often used in the set phrase wreak havoc.

Derived terms

• play havoc, raise havoc, wreak havoc, cry havoc, break havoc

Translations

Verb

havoc (third-person singular simple present havocs, present participle havocking, simple past and past participle havocked)

1. To pillage.
   • 1599, William Shakespeare, Henry V, Act I, Scene II:

     To tear and havoc more than she can eat.

2. To cause havoc.

Usage notes

As with other verbs ending in vowel + -c, the gerund-participle is sometimes spelled havocing, and the preterite and past participle is sometimes spelled havoced; for citations using these spellings, see their respective entries. However, the spellings havocking and havocked are far more common. Compare panic, picnic.

Translations

Interjection

havoc

1. A cry in war as the signal for indiscriminate slaughter.

   • Do not cry havoc, where you should but hunt / With modest warrant.

References

English

Pronunciation

• Verb senses:
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??v??????/
  • (General American) IPA^(key): /?o?v????o?/
  • Rhymes: -??
• Noun senses:
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /???v?????/
  • (General American) IPA^(key): /?o?v????o?/
• Hyphenation: over?throw

Etymology 1

From Middle English overthrowen, equivalent to over- +? throw. Compare Dutch overdraaien, German überdrehen, Old English oferweorpan (“to overthrow”).

For the noun sense, compare Middle English overthrow, overthrowe (“destruction, downfall”), from the verb.

Verb

overthrow (third-person singular simple present overthrows, present participle overthrowing, simple past overthrew, past participle overthrown)

1. (transitive) To bring about the downfall of (a government, etc.), especially by force.
2. (transitive, now rare) To throw down to the ground, to overturn.

Derived terms

• overthrowable
• overthrowal
• overthrower

Translations

Noun

overthrow (plural overthrows)

1. A removal, especially of a ruler or government, by force or threat of force.
2. (archaic, rare) An act of throwing something to the ground; an overturning.

Hypernyms

• downfall

Coordinate terms

• collapse

Translations

Etymology 2

over- +? throw.

Verb

overthrow (third-person singular simple present overthrows, present participle overthrowing, simple past overthrew, past participle overthrown)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To throw (something) so that it goes too far.

Translations

Noun

overthrow (plural overthrows)

1. (sports) A throw that goes too far.
   1. (cricket) A run scored by the batting side when a fielder throws the ball back to the infield, whence it continues to the opposite outfield.

Translations

References

Further reading

• overthrow (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• throw over