/,əʊvə'welm; [US] -'hwelm; ,ovɚ`hwɛlm/
v [Tn usu passive 通常用于被动语态]
(a) cover (sth/sb) completely by flowing over or pouring down on it/him; submerge suddenly （以浇或灌的方式）淹没（某物[某人]）; 使突然没入或浸入
*overwhelmed by a flood 被洪水淹没的
* A great mass of water overwhelmed the village. 大水淹没了村庄.
* (fig 比喻) be overwhelmed with grief, sorrow, despair, etc 陷入悲哀、悲痛、绝望等之中
* (fig 比喻) Overwhelmed with gratitude, he fell to his knees. 他感激万分, 跪倒地上.
(b) overpower (sb/sth), esp by force of numbers; defeat 压倒, 制服（某人[某事物]）（尤指以数量胜）; 击败
*be overwhelmed by the enemy/by superior forces 被敌军[优势兵力]击溃.

v [T usually passive]

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1【emotion】
2【too much】
3【surprise somebody】
4【defeat somebody】
5【water】

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[Date: 1300-1400; Origin: whelm 'to turn over, cover up' (13-19 centuries)]
【EMOTION】
if someone is overwhelmed by an emotion, they feel it so strongly that they cannot think clearly
be overwhelmed by sth
　Harriet was overwhelmed by a feeling of homesickness.
be overwhelmed with sth
　The children were overwhelmed with excitement.
　Grief overwhelmed me.
【TOO MUCH】
if work or a problem overwhelms someone, it is too much or too difficult to deal with
be overwhelmed by sth
　We were overwhelmed by the number of applications.
overwhelm sb with sth
　They would be overwhelmed with paperwork.
【SURPRISE SOMEBODY】
to surprise someone very much, so that they do not know how to react
be overwhelmed by sth
　I was completely overwhelmed by his generosity.
　We were overwhelmed by the sheer size of the place.
【DEFEAT SOMEBODY】
to defeat an army completely
　In 1532 the Spaniards finally overwhelmed the armies of Peru.
【WATER】
literary if water overwhelms an area of land, it covers it completely and suddenly