oferstigan

From Proto-Germanic *uberstīganą. Cognate with Old High German obarstīgan, Old Norse yfirstíga, Gothic 𐌿𐍆𐌰𐍂𐍃𐍄𐌴𐌹𐌲𐌰𐌽 (ufarsteigan). Equivalent to ofer- +‎ stīgan, literally "to climb over or across."

• IPA^(key): /ˌo.ferˈstiː.ɡɑn/, [ˌo.verˈstiː.ɣɑn]

oferstīgan

1. climb over: surmount, rise above
   • c. 992, Ælfric, "The Nativity of the Holy Virgins"

     Eles ġecynd is þæt hē wile oferstīgan ǣlcne wǣtan.

     The nature of oil is that it will rise to the top of any liquid.

   • late 9th century, translation of Orosius’ History Against the Pagans

     Þā ġenam Catalīnus þrēo hund manna mid him and on ānre dēagolre stōwe þone munt oferstāg.

     Then Cataline took three hundred men with him and ascended the mountain at a secret place.

   • late 9th century, King Alfred's translation of Pope Gregory's Pastoral Care

     Sume þā ȳðe beċiereþ sē stēora mid þȳ sċipe, sume hē oferstīġþ.

     Some of the waves the steersman avoids with the ship, some he climbs over.

2. to go past, cross
3. (figuratively) (by extension) to be more or better: surpass, transcend, exceed
   • c. 992, Ælfric of Eynsham, "The Nativity of St. Andrew the Apostle"

     Fisċeras and unġetogene menn ġeċēas Dryhten him tō leornungcneohtum and hīe swā ġetēah þæt heora lār oferstāg ealne weoroldwīsdōm.

     The Lord chose fishermen and uneducated people to be his disciples and taught them so that their learning surpassed all secular knowledge.

• ofersteppan

• oferstīgendlīċ