overfall

Meanings

Noun

• A turbulent section of a body of water, caused by strong currents passing over submerged ridges.
• Part of a garment that hangs so as to cover a lower part.

Verb

• To fall on or spill over so as to cover (something).
• To change or affect so as to pervade (something); to come over
• To fall over; to spill from an edge or height.
• To fall over; to topple.

Origin

• From Middle English overfallen, from Old English oferfeallan ("to fall upon, attack"), from Proto-West Germanic *obarfallan, *ubirfallan, from Proto-Germanic *ubirfallaną; equivalent to over- + fall. Cognate with Dutch overvallen ("to raid, overtake"), German überfallen ("to assault, attack, raid"), Swedish överfalla ("to attack").