read over en · VERB
Meanings
- To read (a document, book, etc.) through, though not necessarily thoroughly.
-
In superstitious belief, to read from the Bible out loud physically over something so as to confer some magical relief or power.
[H]e read over the changeling the following spell: Receive, O earth! O virgin earth!
1866, William P. Nimmo, Nimmo's Popular Tales, volume 3, page 252:"He could read over and cure all sorts of ailments and sprains, stop bleeding, melt lead, and tell of stolen goods; and to tell the truth, he knew also a little about witchcraft, and could afflict people with evil."
1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 121:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| reads over | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| reading over | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| read over | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| read over | Tense=Past | lexicographic |
Coordinates
look over · peruse · skim · read through