Overstand

Quick meaning: Overstand is a verb meaning (transitive) To stand too strictly on the demands or conditions of.

Meaning

(transitive) To stand too strictly on the demands or conditions of.

More Meanings

1. (yachting, boat racing): To sail to the mark at a wider angle than is the normal upwind angle, to go beyond the layline
2. (forestry, of a coppice): To be neglected and left uncut for too long.
3. (lutherie) The measurement between the top plate and the fingerboard where the neck meets the body of the instrument.
4. (Rastafarianism, US black subculture): To have complete or intuitive comprehension of; to understand fully.
5. (rare) To stand or insist too much or too long; overstay.

Example Sentences

"But, Sister, it look like you neither overstand or understand"

But they that overstand the day of grace, shall not obtain to cool their tongues so much of this water as will hang on the tip of one's finger.

"I need you to overstand this the way I overstand this. Notice how I didn't say understand, because I need you to more than understand—I need you to overstand."

When a coppice woodland is no longer cut on its regular rotation the rods from the stool continue to grow and the coppice becomes known as overstood. Sadly, in many parts of the country this is the commonest form of coppice you are likely to see.

Word Forms

• overstands
• overstanding
• overstood

Synonyms for overstand

Depending on context, synonyms include get, grok.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include overstay, outstay, oversit, overkeep, overwait, overrun.

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