different between swarm vs overrun

English

Etymology

From Middle English swarm, from Old English swearm (“swarm, multitude”), from Proto-Germanic *swarmaz (“swarm, dizziness”), from Proto-Indo-European *swer- (“to buzz, hum”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Swoorm (“swarm”), Dutch zwerm, German Schwarm, Danish sværm, Swedish svärm, Icelandic svarmur (“tumult, swarm”), Latin susurrus (“whispering, humming”), Lithuanian surma (“a pipe”), Russian ???????? (svirél?, “a pipe, reed”).

The verb is from Middle English swarmen, swermen, from Old English swierman (“to swarm”), from Proto-Germanic *swarmijan? (“to swarm”), from the noun. Cognate with Scots swairm, swerm (“to swarm”), Dutch zwermen, German schwärmen, Danish sværme, Swedish svärma.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /sw??m/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /sw??m/
• Rhymes: -??(?)m

Noun

swarm (plural swarms)

1. A large number of insects, especially when in motion or (for bees) migrating to a new colony.
2. A mass of people, animals or things in motion or turmoil.

   a swarm of meteorites

   • those prodigious swarms that had settled themselves in every part of it [Italy]

3. (computing) A group of nodes sharing the same torrent in a BitTorrent network.

Derived terms

• aswarm

Translations

Verb

swarm (third-person singular simple present swarms, present participle swarming, simple past and past participle swarmed)

1. (intransitive) To move as a swarm.
2. (intransitive) To teem, or be overrun with insects, people, etc.

   • Every place swarming with soldiers.

3. (transitive) To fill a place as a swarm.
4. (transitive) To overwhelm as by an opposing army.
5. To climb by gripping with arms and legs alternately.
   • 1784, William Coxe, Travels into Poland, Russia, Sweden and Denmark

     At the top was placed a piece of money, as a prize for those who could swarm up and seize it.

   • 1919, W. Somerset Maugham, The Moon and Sixpence, chapter 55

     She called out, and a boy came running along. He swarmed up a tree, and presently threw down a ripe nut. Ata pierced a hole in it, and the doctor took a long, refreshing draught.

6. To breed multitudes.

Translations

See also

• Appendix:English collective nouns

Anagrams

• warms

Middle English

Alternative forms

• swrame, swarme

Etymology

From Old English swearm, from Proto-Germanic *swarmaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /swarm/, /sw?rm/

Noun

swarm (plural swarmes)

1. A swarm (large, moving group of bees)
2. (rare) A large group of people.

Derived terms

• swarmen

Descendants

• English: swarm
• Scots: swairm

References

• “swarm, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-11-24.

English

Etymology

over- +? run.

Pronunciation

• Verb:
  • (UK) IPA^(key): /??v????n/
  • (US) IPA^(key): /o?v????n/
• Noun:
  • (UK) IPA^(key): /???v????n/
  • (US) IPA^(key): /?o?v????n/

Verb

overrun (third-person singular simple present overruns, present participle overrunning, simple past overran, past participle overrun)

1. To defeat an enemy and invade in great numbers, seizing the enemy positions conclusively.
2. To infest, swarm over, flow over.

   The vine overran its trellis; the field is overrun with weeds.

   • those barbarous nations that over-ran the world
3. To run past; to run beyond.

   • Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.
4. To continue for too long.

   The performance overran by ten minutes, which caused some people to miss their bus home.

5. (printing) To carry (some type, a line or column, etc.) backward or forward into an adjacent line or page.
6. To go beyond; to extend in part beyond.

   In machinery, a sliding piece is said to overrun its bearing when its forward end goes beyond it.

7. To abuse or oppress, as if by treading upon.

Translations

Noun

overrun (countable and uncountable, plural overruns)

1. An instance of overrunning.
   • 2013 June 18, Simon Romero, "Protests Widen as Brazilians Chide Leaders," New York Times (retrieved 21 June 2013):

     Some of the stadiums being built for the World Cup soccer tournament, scheduled for next year, have also been criticized for delays and cost overruns, and have become subjects of derision as protesters question whether they will become white elephants.

2. The amount by which something overruns.

3. (aviation) An area of terrain beyond the end of a runway that is kept flat and unobstructed to allow an aircraft that runs off the end of the runway to stop safely.

4. (food) Air that is whipped into a frozen dessert to make it easier to serve and eat.
   • 2004, Wayne Gisslen, Professional Baking (page 497)

     If ice cream has too much overrun, it will be airy and foamy and will lack flavor.

Synonyms

(area beyond a runway end): runway safety area

Translations

Anagrams

• run over, runover