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to overstir

to overstir

7.7
To stir a mixture too much so it becomes tough or dense
  • verb
  • /ˌoʊvərˈstɜr/
translation icon : mezclar en exceso
  • The recipe warns that overstirring can make the cake dense instead of light and fluffy.

Examples

  • Be careful not to overstir the soup, or it could lose its texture.

  • If you overstir the pancake batter, the pancakes may become tough and chewy.

  • Don't overstir the batter!

  • She always overstirs the dough.

  • Be careful not to overstir the batter, or it will become tough.

  • If you overstir the sauce, it may lose its smooth consistency.

  • When making whipped cream, avoid overstirring, as it can turn into butter.

Synonyms

to overmix
vsto overstir
1 3.9

Stir ingredients too much so the food becomes tough or heavy

refers to same harm from gentle circular hand motions
to overbeat
vsto overstir
1 5.2

To beat a food mixture too much so it becomes dense or turns to butter

occurs with gentle circular hand motions rather than strong whipping

How Stirred

to overstir
7.7
to beat
156 1.0
to stir
152 1.0
to mix
416 1.0

Surface Forms

overstir infinitive
overstirred past participle
overstirring present participle
overstirs third person singular

Morphology

overstir = stir (transparent) = over + stir

The productive prefix 'over-' meaning 'excessively' combines with the verb 'stir' to give the straightforward meaning 'stir too much'.

Etymology

Overstir comes from over- meaning 'too much' and stir meaning 'mix'. Think of stirring batter until it becomes heavy and tough, and you will see why to overstir means to mix something too much and spoil its texture.