The word "overladen" is spelled with three syllables: /ˌoʊvərˈleɪdən/. The first syllable, "o," is pronounced with a long "o" sound, as in "boat." The second syllable, "ver," is pronounced with a short "e" sound, as in "red." The third syllable, "la," is pronounced with a long "a" sound, as in "day." The final syllable, "den," is pronounced with a short "e" sound, as in "pen." "Overladen" means to be loaded or burdened too heavily, often with emotion or responsibility.
Overladen is an adjective that describes something that is weighed down, overwhelmed, or burdened with excessive weight, volume, or content. It is derived from the verb "overload" which means to put too great a load on or to overwhelm someone or something with excessive pressure, tasks, or responsibilities.
When used in a literal sense, overladen refers to something that has been loaded or packed with an excessive amount of weight or cargo. For example, a truck may be overladen with goods causing it to struggle to move due to the excessive load. Similarly, a ship may be overladen with cargo, pushing it to its maximum carrying capacity and potentially compromising its stability.
In a figurative sense, overladen describes something that is burdened or overwhelmed with an excessive amount of content or information. For instance, a speech or an article may be overladen with complex terms or unnecessary details, making it difficult to understand or follow. Additionally, an individual or organization can feel overladen with responsibilities, tasks, or commitments that surpass their capacity to handle, resulting in a sense of being overwhelmed or overloaded.
Overall, "overladen" conveys a sense of excessiveness, overwhelm, or burden, whether in regards to physical weight or metaphorical content or responsibilities.
Loaded with too great a cargo or burden.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
The word overladen is derived from two separate terms - over and laden.
1. Over is derived from the Old English word ofer, which means above or across. It has its roots in the Proto-Germanic word uber, meaning beyond.
2. Laden originated from the Old English word ladan, which means to load or to put a burden on. It is related to the Old High German lâdan and Dutch laden.
By combining the two words, overladen has come to mean burdened with too much weight or overloaded.