Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive To swarm over; to overrun.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

over- +‎ swarm

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Examples

  • Remember human beings are under the same rule as other creatures; if you destroy the things that prey on them, they are liable to overswarm the food-producing power of their locality.

    Travels in West Africa 2003

  • Remember human beings are under the same rule as other creatures; if you destroy the things that prey on them, they are liable to overswarm the food-producing power of their locality.

    Travels in West Africa Mary H. Kingsley 1881

  • Mexico to Texas, and pile Cuba upon Canada; let the English overswarm all India, and hang out their blazing banner from the sun; two thirds of this terraqueous globe are the Nantucketer's.

    Moby Dick, or, the whale Herman Melville 1855

  • Let America add Mexico to Texas, and pile Cuba upon Canada; let the English overswarm all India, and hang out their blazing banner from the sun; two thirds of this terraqueous globe are the Nantucketer's.

    Moby Dick: or, the White Whale Herman Melville 1855

  • Let America add Mexico to Texas, and pile Cuba upon Canada; let the English overswarm all India, and hang out their blazing banner from the sun; two thirds of this terraqueous globe are the Nantucketer's.

    Moby-Dick, or, The Whale 1851

  • Who built more in Jerusalem and did more to protect the unity of the city of Jerusalem than any of those who are wasting lots of energies and spending a lot of money in order to try and overswarm my position?’

    Unforgiven 2008

  • Who built more in Jerusalem and did more to protect the unity of the city of Jerusalem than any of those who are wasting lots of energies and spending a lot of money in order to try and overswarm my position?’

    Unforgiven 2008

  • Canada; let the English overswarm all India, and hang out their blazing banner from the sun; two thirds of this terraqueous globe are the Nantucketer’s.

    Moby Dick; or the Whale 2002

  • "for if their number were not checked in some fashion, in a few decades the dogs would overswarm the city."

    City of Endless Night 1920

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