Overspeeding

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The behavior of driving beyond the lawful speed limit applicable to roadways
2. The action of driving a vehicle at a speed greater than what is legally allowed on public roads
3. The act of traveling in a vehicle at a speed higher than the allowed limit set by traffic laws

Etymology: "Overspeeding" is the gerund and present participle of "overspeed," which is formed from the prefix "over-" and the word "speed." The prefix "over-" here carries its sense of going beyond a proper limit, so to overspeed is to move faster than is permitted or safe. The combination is transparent: the word needs no special history to explain it, since each part keeps its ordinary meaning. The noun in the sense given, the act of driving above a legal limit, grows directly from that verb. Its meaning is set by the road law it describes rather than by any older sense of the parts, which makes it a plain modern formation built from familiar English materials.

Synonyms: exceeding speed, speeding