Overweening

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /əʊvəˈwiːnɪŋ/
• Rhymes: -iːnɪŋ

Origin

From overween + -ing.

Full definition of overweening

Adjective

1. Unduly confident; arrogant; presumptuous; conceited.
• ShakespeareHere's an overweening rogue.
2. She wins one modeling contest in Montana and suddenly she's overweening.
• 1870, Carl Schurz, No success rendered him overweening and no disaster was ever known to stagger his firmness.
• 1908, Frederic Bancroft and William A. Dunning, The Senate was displaying an overweening hauteur as if it were the government.
3. Exaggerated, excessive.

Derived terms

Noun

1. (now rare) An excessively high opinion of oneself or one's abilities; presumption, arrogance.
• 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, II.12:Let us suppresse this over-weening , the first foundation of the tyrannie of the wicked spirit ....

Verb

1. Present participle of overween