overstress
UK[ˌəʊvəˈstres]US[ˌoʊvərˈstres]
v
to give too much emphasis or importance to something
v
to subject to excessive physical or psychological stress
Morpheme Breakdown
over
stress
over
excessive
stress
strain
Etymology
the word 'overstress' is a modern english compound formed by combining the native english prefix 'over-' with the noun/verb 'stress'. the prefix 'over-', of germanic origin, has consistently carried the meaning of excess or beyond limits. the word 'stress' entered english via old french, tracing back to the latin strictus, meaning drawn tight or compressed, itself from the verb stringere. the conceptual logic of the word is transparent: to apply stress (pressure, emphasis, or strain) beyond an acceptable or normal limit. this follows a common pattern in english where the prefix 'over-' is attached to verbs and nouns to indicate an excessive or detrimental degree of the base action or state.
Analysis
Structure: over (excessive) + stress (strain)
over (old english, prefix meaning excessively); stress (middle english, from old french estrecier, meaning to strain or subject to pressure)
Examples
the report warns against overstressing the economic benefits without considering the social costs.
engineers must ensure the design does not overstress the materials, which could lead to failure.
parents should be careful not to overstress young children with too many extracurricular activities.