Usurp vs Overthrow - What's the difference?
usurp | overthrow |
To seize power from another, usually by illegitimate means.
To use and assume the coat of arms of another person.
(obsolete) To make use of.
* 1662 , , Appendix, A Collection of Several Philosophical Writings of Dr. Henry More, p. 149:
To throw down to the ground, to overturn.
* 1526 , William Tyndale, trans. Bible , John II:
* Jeremy Taylor
To bring about the downfall of (a government, etc.), especially by force.
* Dryden
* Shakespeare
A removal, especially of a ruler or government, by force or threat of force.
*
(intransitive) To throw (something) so that it goes too far.
(sports) A throw that goes too far.
(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.
As verbs the difference between usurp and overthrow
is that usurp is to seize power from another, usually by illegitimate means while overthrow is to throw down to the ground, to overturn.As a noun overthrow is
a removal, especially of a ruler or government, by force or threat of force.usurp
English
Verb
(en verb)- ""
overthrow
English
Etymology 1
From .Verb
- 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.
- His wife overthrew the table.
- I hate the current government, but not enough to want to overthrow them.
- When the walls of Thebes he overthrew .
- [Gloucester] that seeks to overthrow religion.
Derived terms
* overthrowalNoun
(en noun)- What then must we do? Why, work night and day, body and soul, for the overthrow of the human race!
Hypernyms
* (removal by force) downfallCoordinate terms
* (removal by force) collapseEtymology 2
Verb
Noun
(en noun)- He overthrew first base, for an error.