overreach
VerbWordNet 3.0
Verb (2)
- fail by aiming too high or trying too hard
- beat through cleverness and wit“I beat the traffic”“She outfoxed her competitors”Synonyms: outwitoutsmartoutfoxbeatcircumvent
Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)
Overreach \O"ver*reach`\ ([=o]"v[~e]r*r[=e]ch`), n. The act of striking the heel of the fore foot with the toe of the hind foot; -- said of horses. [1913 Webster]
Overreach \O`ver*reach"\ ([=o]`v[~e]r*r[=e]ch"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Overreached, (Overraught, obs.); p. pr. & vb. n. Overreaching.] [1913 Webster]
1.To reach above or beyond in any direction. [1913 Webster]
2.To deceive, or get the better of, by artifice or cunning; to outwit; to cheat. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
3.To defeat one's own purpose by trying to do too much or by trying too hard or with excessive eagerness; -- used reflexively; as, the candidate overreached himself by trying to plant false rumors, which backfired/ [PJC]
Overreach \O`ver*reach"\, v. i.
1.To reach too far; as: (a) To strike the toe of the hind foot against the heel or shoe of the forefoot; -- said of horses. (b) (Naut.) To sail on one tack farther than is necessary. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
2.To cheat by cunning or deception. [1913 Webster]