overburden

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From over- + burden.

Verb

overburden (third-person singular simple present overburdens, present participle overburdening, simple past and past participle overburdened)

  1. To overload or overtax.
    • 2023 January 11, Paul Stephen, “Network News: Division over 5.9% increase in regulated rail fares”, in RAIL, number 974, page 16:
      He said the increase would avoid overburdening taxpayers who have subsidised the railways by £31 billion since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Translations

Noun

overburden (plural overburdens)

  1. (geology) The rock and subsoil that lies above a mineral deposit such as a coal seam.
    Synonym: mullock
    • 2004, Richard Fortey, The Earth, Folio Society, published 2011, page 163:
      Such rocks have been changed by baking in a terrestrial pressure-cooker. Then they have been disinterred: kilometres of overburden must have been removed.
  2. (archaeology) A sterile stratum that lies above the stratum being investigated

References

Wikipedia

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