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o'erthrew

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

An archaic contraction of "overthrew," used in historic and epic verse to preserve rhythm while describing defeat or overthrow.

Detailed Definition
This is a poetic contraction of 'overthrew,' common in older verse but uncommon in modern prose. It helps the line sound elevated and compressed, fitting the poem's grand, historical tone.
Example
Example in poetry:
“And o’erthrew them with prophesying” uses the past tense of overthrow; “The flood o’erthrew the bridge and split the road” gives the verb physical force; Miltonic or biblical diction often uses “o’erthrew” for divine or political defeat; “Their witness o’erthrew the old official story” shows metaphorical use.
Additional Notes
The apostrophized spelling in the quoted line is archaic and may puzzle readers unfamiliar with older poetic forms.; Found in the poem, Ode by Arthur O'Shaughnessy
Also Known As
overthrew toppled vanquished defeated
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