over

Over is a versatile word in English with multiple grammatical and lexical functions. As a preposition and adverb, it indicates a position above or across something (the lamp hangs over the table), location beyond a point (go over the hill), or coverage or inclusion (the roof is over the hall). It can also signal completion or termination of a state (the show is over) and, in some contexts, degree or excess (overcrowded, over twenty people). It serves as a prefix meaning excessive or beyond, as in overcook, overestimate, or oversight.

Etymology: The word derives from Old English ofer, meaning over or across, and is related to cognates in other Germanic languages. The sense of crossing or extending beyond a boundary is a common thread across its uses.

In specialized uses, over has distinct senses. In cricket, an over is a set of six legal deliveries bowled by a single bowler. In radio and telecommunications, "over" signals that a speaker has finished and expects a response. In geography, Over is the name of a village and civil parish in Cambridgeshire, England. The term also appears as a prefix in compound words describing excess or too much.

Common phrases illustrate its broad range of meanings, such as “over and over,” “all over,” and “it’s not over yet.” Overall, over is a multifunctional term embedded in everyday language, sport, and place names.