Phrase guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
noun
Advantage or control.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: idiomatic, uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
The place of honour accorded to a social superior when walking together; the right of way in walking
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
position of advantage and control
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: whip hand
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: superiority, favorable position, favourable position
History
From Middle English over hond, from Old English ofer- + hand (superior control; superior position). Not, as supposed, from a card game or counting-out game.
Across languages
25 source translations are retained for this English entry.
