overrides
|o-ver-ride|
🇺🇸
/ˈoʊvərˌraɪd/
🇬🇧
/ˈəʊvəˌraɪd/
(override)
cancel authority
Etymology
'override' originates from Old English elements, specifically the words 'ofer' and 'rīdan', where 'ofer' meant 'over' and 'rīdan' meant 'to ride'.
'override' changed from Middle English forms such as 'overriden' (with senses like 'ride over') and eventually became the modern English verb and noun 'override' with extended senses.
Initially it meant 'to ride over or pass over' (a literal sense), but over time it evolved into meanings such as 'to overrule, set aside, cancel' and 'to take precedence or replace'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
instances in which a decision, veto, or rule is annulled or set aside by a higher authority; an act of overruling.
The legislature recorded two overrides of the governor's veto.
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Noun 2
a setting, control, or action that takes precedence over a default or automated process (often temporary).
The technician enabled several safety overrides to test the machine.
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Verb 1
to use authority to reject, reverse, or cancel (a decision, veto, or ruling).
The committee overrides the recommendation when it disagrees with the report.
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Verb 2
to bypass, disable, or switch off (a mechanism, safety, or automatic control), often temporarily.
The driver overrides the automatic braking system in certain emergencies.
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Verb 3
in programming, to provide a new implementation that replaces an inherited one (to change or extend behavior).
The subclass overrides the base class method when it needs different behavior.
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Last updated: 2025/11/15 23:19