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Overthrow vs Engulf - What's the difference?

overthrow | engulf | Related terms |

In transitive terms the difference between overthrow and engulf

is that overthrow is to bring about the downfall of (a government, etc.), especially by force while engulf is to surround; to cover.

As verbs the difference between overthrow and engulf

is that overthrow is to throw down to the ground, to overturn while engulf is to overwhelm.

As a noun overthrow

is a removal, especially of a ruler or government, by force or threat of force.

overthrow

English

Etymology 1

From .

Verb

  • To throw down to the ground, to overturn.
  • * 1526 , William Tyndale, trans. Bible , John II:
    • And he made a scourge of smale cordes, and drave them all out off the temple, bothe shepe and oxen, and powred doune the changers money, and overthrue their tables.
  • * Jeremy Taylor
    • His wife overthrew the table.
  • To bring about the downfall of (a government, etc.), especially by force.
    • I hate the current government, but not enough to want to overthrow them.
  • * Dryden
    • When the walls of Thebes he overthrew .
  • * Shakespeare
    • [Gloucester] that seeks to overthrow religion.
    Derived terms
    * overthrowal

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A removal, especially of a ruler or government, by force or threat of force.
  • *
    • What then must we do? Why, work night and day, body and soul, for the overthrow of the human race!
    Hypernyms
    * (removal by force) downfall
    Coordinate terms
    * (removal by force) collapse

    Etymology 2

    Verb

  • (intransitive) To throw (something) so that it goes too far.

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • (sports) A throw that goes too far.
    • He overthrew first base, for an error.
  • (cricket) A run scored by the batting side when a fielder throws the ball back to the infield, whence it continues to the opposite outfield.

    • Quotations

    * * (seeCites)

    engulf

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To overwhelm.
    • Desperation engulfed her after her daughter's death.
  • * 2013 June 18, , " Protests Widen as Brazilians Chide Leaders," New York Times (retrieved 21 June 2013):
    • Shaken by the biggest challenge to their authority in years, Brazil’s leaders made conciliatory gestures on Tuesday to try to defuse the protests engulfing the nation’s cities.
  • To surround; to cover.
    • Only Noah and his family survived when the Flood engulfed earth.