Oferwinnan

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To gain mastery over an opponent or obstacle through struggle, defeating or subduing it completely
2. Describing the act of prevailing over a foe or difficulty by force, effort, or endurance until it is beaten
3. Overpowering or defeating an adversary, hardship, or enemy through sustained effort and force of will

Etymology: In Old English, "oferwinnan" was built from "ofer," meaning "over," and "winnan," meaning "to fight" or "to struggle." Its sense was to get the better of an opponent, or to overcome a difficulty by force of effort. The two parts together describe prevailing over something in a contest. The surprise lies in "winnan." Its oldest sense was closer to "to strive" or "to toil" than to "to win." Gothic "winnan" meant "to suffer," and the idea of winning came out of the idea of struggling against opposition. The modern "win" preserves the later sense, while the older meaning of effort and hardship survives in the Old English compound. "Oferwinnan" did not survive into modern English. It was overtaken by "overcome," a word with a similar structure that became the standard way to express this idea.