Overdrain

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. To remove too much of a liquid or resource from something, leaving it depleted beyond what is sensible
2. Drawing off more fluid or energy than is needed, so that the thing is left with too little
3. Taking away an excessive amount of water, power or strength until the source is left weakened

Etymology: "Overdrain" is a plain compound: the prefix "over-", meaning excessively or beyond the proper amount, attached to "drain," which means to draw off liquid or to empty something gradually. Put together, the word describes draining too much, or draining past what is needed. It is used both as a verb, for removing water or fluid to excess from soil, a body, or a vessel, and as a noun for such an act. The pattern is productive in English. "Over-" joins many verbs to mark excess, as in "overwater," "overwork," and "overheat," and "overdrain" follows that same logic. Because the word is a transparent combination of two familiar parts, its meaning can be worked out from its components without needing a special history.