Dictionary

overrake en · VERB

Etymology

From over- + rake.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To rake over, or sweep across, from end to end, as waves break over a vessel anchored with its head to the sea.
   • This made our ship to hull very broad, so that the sea continually overraked us; yet we endured it in hopes of recovering our shallop. 1953, Carleton Mitchell, Beyond Horizons: Sea Adventure in the Age of Discovery, page 131:
   • […] raging waves and foming surges of the sea came rowling like mountaines one after another, and overraked the waste of the shippe like a mightie river running over it ; whereas , in faire weather , it was neere 20 foote above the water , that nowe wee might cry out with the princely Prophet, Paslme 107, vers. 26. 2017, Albert Hastings Markham, The Voyages and Works of John Davis the Navigator, page 86:
   • 1648, Oct. A shallop, which had been a fishing with others all summer, was attempting to make a harbour at "Damaril's Cove, was overraked by the surf , and all drowned , being four Englishmen , and one Indian , and the goods all perished ." 1834, Joseph Barlow Felt, History of Ipswich, Essex, and Hamilton, page 202:
   • The big water overraked her waist like a mighty river running over, and with the extremity of evil weather, she was like to be shaken asunder. 1906, Sir Andrew Macphail, The Vine of Sibmah: A Relation of the Puritans, page 270:
   • After they had cut downe their mast, ye storme beat of their round house and all their uper works; 3. men had worke enough at ye helme, and he that cund ye ship before ye sea, was faine to be found fast for washing away; the seas did so overrake them, as many times those upon ye decke knew not whether they were within bord or withoute; and so foundered in ye sea as they all thought she would never rise againe. 1898, William Bradford, History of "Plimoth Plantation.", page 169:
   • Being thus refreshed, in crossing over from the main to other isles we discovered, the wind and waters so much increased, with thunder, lightning, and rain, that our mast and sail blew overboard, and such mighty waves over-racked us in that small barge, that with great labour we kept her from sinking by freeing out the water. 2007, John Smith, John Milliken Thompson, The Journals of Captain John Smith: A Jamestown Biography, page 53:
2. To rake over or assault, as enemy gunfire attacking the entire force.
   • The fire was now becoming intense, the right flank of my company being the most hotly attacked: Believing that a change of position was really necessary, and that in a few moments more we should be swept with an overraking fire, I threw the right wing of company to the rear, in order to diminish its front. 1883, “Report of Capt. James M. Whitson, Eight North Carolina Infantry”, in House documents, volume 12, number 351, page 175:
   • At Mevis we intended to refresh ourselves, having been eleven weeks pestered in this unwholesome ship; but there we found two tall ships with the Hollanders' colours, but necessity forcing us on shore, we anchored fair' by them, and in friendly manner sent to hail them; but seeing they were Spaniards, retiring to our ship, they sent such a volley of shot after us, that shot the boat, split the oars, and some through the cloaths, yet not a man hurt; and then followed with their great ordnance, that many times overraked our ship, which being so cumbered with the passengers' provisions, our ordnance was not well fitted, nor any thing as it should have been; 1812, John Pinkerton, A General Collection of the Best and Most Interesting Voyages and Travels in All Parts of the World, page 128:
3. To rake or scrape to excess.
   • Most of it is woodland or meadow; all of it is "planned," none of it "wild." Surreally manicured within the concrete, overraked, overfertilized—an economic and ecological sink. 2012, John Waldman, Still the Same Hawk: Reflections on Nature and New York, page 78:
   • Of his depth of feeling, his exquisite sensibility, and his poetic fire (which burned the more vigorously, perhaps, for not being overraked with a classical poker) , this is not the place to treat. 1903, Samuel Lover, The Collected Writings of Samuel Lover: Poetical works:
   • According to German forester and historian Richard Plochmann, by the early 1800s central European forests were “overcut, overgrazed, overraked, and overbrowsed ... the forests were exhausted and degraded." 1993, Ken Drushka, Bob Nixon, Ray Travers, Touch Wood: BC Forests at the Crossroads, page 98:
   • Strive for a level surface, but do not overrake. It is fine if there are some small lumps that will help to hold the seed in place, but try to avoid hills and gulleys where water will accumulate . 1972, Jack Kramer, The Natural Way to Pest-free Gardening, page 84:
   • Overraking will cause the surface to form a crust, which may not drain well. 2016, Alan Titchmarsh, How to Garden: Growing Fruit:
   • Discourage overraking around cabins and camp areas as this will destroy natural undergrowth, causing erosion and excessive dust. 1952, United States. Soil Conservation Service, Conservation in Camping, page 8:
   • The hog truck is gone, but on the other side of the screen, the katydid still holds out its wings, more perfect and complicated than some Oriental silkscreen, and Trumper, squinting through this lovely mesh, sees Mr. Fitch, a retired neighbor, scratching his dry and overraked lawn. 2018, John Irving, The Water-Method Man:
   • Avoid overraking the area. The retention of small limbs, twigs , bark, and rock on the ground surface helps reduce soil erosion. 1993, Alabama's Best Management Practices for Forestry, page 13:
4. To rake or scrape over.
   • Better methods are happily coming into use, and it is already being found profitable to overrake the spoil-hillocks of our ancestors. 1901 March, John Hyde, “Fairfield: A Peakland Township”, in The Gentleman's Magazine, volume 290, number 2043, page 238:
5. To install with too great a slope or angle.
   • As their lordships did me the honour to entrust a frigate of new construction to my charge, I feel it my duty to speak the whole truth, and not deceive the constructor by flattering and specious reports, tending to mislead him; and I hope to be excused in remarking, that a short bow on fine lines under water, is not adapted to meet a head sea, and that a pegtop midship section, although applicable to smaller vessels, will not pleasantly carry two tier of guns and a full cargo. A raking sternpost and an overraking stern, with a short gripe condemn themselves. 1845, Sir William Symonds, Facts versus Fiction, page 192:
   • Often attractive, they can be overraked and then the result may appear disastrous. 1967, J. Anthony Hind, Ships' Gear, page 491:
   • Overraked poles are always an eyesore, and undoubtedly detract from the appearance of the overhead equipment, no matter how well it is erected. 1938, Transport World - Volume 83, page 125:
   • Other causes of over-raked theatres producing the well effect, both in Britain and America, include the slavish following of the rules for calculating sightlines, which say that each member of the audience should see over the head of another. 2003, Iain Mackintosh, Architecture, Actor and Audience:

Forms