Overcool

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To chill or lower the temperature of something beyond what is needed ; to let a process reduce heat further than intended
2. To make something far too cold through excessive cooling ; to allow a substance to lose more heat than is desirable
3. To lower the temperature of an object or substance past the appropriate level ; to bring something to an excessively cold state

Etymology: "Overcool" is a plain formation: the prefix "over-", meaning excessively or too much, attached to the verb "cool". The result is a verb meaning to cool something too far, past the point that is wanted. The prefix itself is an old and productive one in English, which is why new compounds of this kind can be built on almost any verb or adjective when a speaker needs to express excess. "Cool" comes from Old English "cōl", and the verb has been in use for centuries in its literal sense of making something less warm. "Over-" is likewise native English, not borrowed, and it has combined freely with verbs such as "heat", "cook" and "bake" for a long time. Because both parts are familiar, the meaning of the compound is transparent: it describes the action of cooling beyond the intended degree, and its use is most common in technical or cooking contexts, where a temperature has been pushed too far down.

Synonyms: supercool, chill

Antonyms: warm, heat