overstrung
Americanadjective
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overly tense or sensitive; strained; on edge.
Their nerves were badly overstrung.
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Archery. (of a bow) strung too tightly.
adjective
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too highly strung; tense
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(of a piano) having two sets of strings crossing each other at an oblique angle
Etymology
Origin of overstrung
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Yes, overstrung, gaudily painted, honky tonk joannas for passersby to hammer out jazz standards on, which – naturally – many appeared to be able to do.
From The Guardian ● Nov. 5, 2016
Both teams were overstrung, playing crazily in their eagerness to win.
From Time Magazine Archive
Philippa followed her, blindly, stumblingly, for her knees were shaking now, and there was such an air of resentment in the other's demeanour that it jarred upon her overstrung nerves.
From East of the Shadows by Barclay, Hubert, Mrs.
Do you know," she said, "you and Morris both seem rather overstrung to me.
From Shadows of Flames A Novel by Rives, Amélie
The people got on my overstrung youthful nerves.
From The Confessions of a Caricaturist, Vol. 1 by Furniss, Harry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
