Literary notes about Overrun (AI summary)
The term “overrun” has been employed with striking versatility in literature, often conveying both literal conquests and metaphorical infestations. In historical and military narratives, it vividly describes the rapid and often destructive occupation of territories—as seen when an army "overran" a state or region (IDs [1], [2], [3], [4]). At the same time, authors have used the term to depict natural or domestic scenes overtaken by wild abundance, such as houses overtaken by ivy or gardens engulfed by unruly plants (IDs [5], [6], [7]). Some writers even extend its metaphorical reach to describe social phenomena and personal mishaps, like financial overindulgence (ID [8]) or unruly behavior (IDs [9], [10]). Thus, “overrun” effectively conveys a sense of being overwhelmed, whether by human endeavor, nature, or circumstance, making it a dynamic tool for creating vivid imagery across genres.
- General Rosecrans made very bad work of it in Missouri, allowing Price with a small force to overrun the State and destroy millions of property.
— from Memoirs of General William T. Sherman — Complete by William T. Sherman - About the middle of the seventh century it was overrun by the Saracens.
— from The New Gresham Encyclopedia. A to Amide by Various - The high hills were suddenly overrun by an immense black army.
— from The History of a Crime by Victor Hugo - With the reputation gained at that siege, he rapidly seized Massa, Carrara, and Lavenza, and in a short time had overrun the whole of Lunigiana.
— from The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli - The house was overrun with ivy, its chimney being enlarged by the boughs of the parasite to the aspect of a ruined tower.
— from Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman by Thomas Hardy - I stopped short before one of these chalets, it was so pretty: a small white house with brown trimmings, overrun with rambler roses up to the top.
— from Complete Original Short Stories of Guy De Maupassant by Guy de Maupassant - The whole front of the cottage was overrun with a honeysuckle.
— from The Sketch-Book of Geoffrey Crayon by Washington Irving - My husband has gone abroad, and somehow I have overrun my allowance, so that I have to fall back upon my old work for a time.
— from Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman by Thomas Hardy - “Like enough,” said Mrs. Poyser, “for the men are mostly so slow, their thoughts overrun 'em, an' they can only catch 'em by the tail.
— from Adam Bede by George Eliot - I shall overrun these doings before long.
— from Adam Bede by George Eliot
