overblow

From over- + blow (“to flower, bloom”).

overblow (third-person singular simple present overblows, present participle overblowing, simple past overblew, past participle overblown)

1. (transitive) To cover with blossoms or flowers.

From Middle English overblowen, equivalent to over- +‎ blow.

overblow (third-person singular simple present overblows, present participle overblowing, simple past overblew, past participle overblown)

1. (transitive) To blow over or across.
2. (transitive) To blow away; dissipate by or as by wind.
3. (transitive) To exaggerate the significance of something.
   • 2006, Jock Lauterer, Community Journalism: Relentlessly Local:

     if you do print the DUI story and sensationalize and overblow it

4. (transitive, music) To blow a wind instrument (typically a whistle, recorder or flute) hard to produce a higher pitch than usual.
   • 1909, Leander Jan Bekker, Stokes' Encyclopedia of Music and Musicians:

     The upper octaves of the flute's compass are produced by overblowing.

5. (intransitive, music) Of a wind instrument, to move from its lower to its higher register.

   The oboe overblows at the octave; the clarinet at the twelfth.

6. (intransitive, nautical, archaic) Of the wind: to blow very hard, often resulting in ships unable to carry full sail.
   • 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “A Great Storm Described, the Long-Boat Sent to Fetch Water, the Author Goes with It to Discover the Country. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part II (A Voyage to Brobdingnag), page 151:

     Finding it was like to overblow, we took in our Sprit-ſail, and ſtood by to hand the Fore-ſail; but making foul Weather, we look'd the Guns were all faſt, and handed the Miſſen.

   • 1923, Charles Boardman Hawes, The Dark Frigate, Chapter 8:

     “The wind blows frisking,” the mate cried, scrambling up the ladder and joining the master.
     “Yea, it is like to over-blow. She took a shrewd plunge but now. We shall further our voyage by striking every sail. Go thou, mate, and have them secure the spritsail-yard, then take thy station on the forecastle.”

7. (intransitive, obsolete) To blow over; pass over; pass away.
   • 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:

     But art thou not drown'd, Stephano? I hope now thou are / not drown'd. Is the storm overblown?

• “overblow, v.¹”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.

• blow over, bowl over, overbowl