overhanding

Overhanding is the present participle of overhand and describes an action performed with the hand or arm moving or held above the shoulder. It is especially associated with an overhand throw, although it can also describe other movements or strokes involving the same raised-arm position. The word may function attributively before a noun, as in “overhanding technique,” or as the subject or object of a sentence, as in “She practised overhanding the ball.” Its meaning depends heavily on context: the general idea is not merely using the hand, but moving it above shoulder level in a characteristic way. Although the participle is less common than the basic adjective and adverb overhand, it is useful in describing the manner of a physical action. The compound structure makes its basic meaning readily accessible even when the surrounding context is technical.

The present participle of overhand: performing an action with the hand or arm moving or held above the shoulder, as in an overhand throw or stroke.

Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.

Where does overhanding come from?

Overhand is an English compound formed from the preposition over and the noun hand, both of which are inherited from Old English. The modern term denotes a manner of movement in which the hand is raised or passed above the shoulder. Comparable formations occur in other Germanic languages, notably Dutch overhand and German überhand, although their modern meanings are not always identical.

Related word forms

How overhanding is actually used

Usually encountered as a present participle, often in an attributive or gerund construction. The precise activity must be understood from context.

Rhymes with overhanding