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What is "over one's head"

The Collaborative International Dictionary
Over one's head

Over \O"ver\ ([=o]"v[~e]r), prep. [AS. ofer; akin to D. over, G. ["u]ber, OHG. ubir, ubar, Dan. over, Sw. ["o]fver, Icel. yfir, Goth. ufar, L. super, Gr. "ype`r, Skr. upari. [root]199. Cf. Above, Eaves, Hyper-, Orlop, Super-, Sovereign, Up.]

  1. Above, or higher than, in place or position, with the idea of covering; -- opposed to under; as, clouds are over our heads; the smoke rises over the city.

    The mercy seat that is over the testimony.
    --Ex. xxx. 6.

    Over them gleamed far off the crimson banners of morning.
    --Longfellow.

  2. Across; from side to side of; -- implying a passing or moving, either above the substance or thing, or on the surface of it; as, a dog leaps over a stream or a table.

    Certain lakes . . . poison birds which fly over them.
    --Bacon.

  3. Upon the surface of, or the whole surface of; hither and thither upon; throughout the whole extent of; as, to wander over the earth; to walk over a field, or over a city.

  4. Above; -- implying superiority in excellence, dignity, condition, or value; as, the advantages which the Christian world has over the heathen.
    --Swift.

  5. Above in authority or station; -- implying government, direction, care, attention, guard, responsibility, etc.; -- opposed to under.

    Thou shalt be over my house.
    --Gen. xli. 40.

    I will make thee rules over many things.
    --Matt. xxv. 23.

    Dost thou not watch over my sin ?
    --Job xiv. 1

  6. His tender mercies are over all his works.
    --Ps. cxlv. 9.

    6. Across or during the time of; from beginning to end of; as, to keep anything over night; to keep corn over winter.

  7. Above the perpendicular height or length of, with an idea of measurement; as, the water, or the depth of water, was over his head, over his shoes.

  8. Beyond; in excess of; in addition to; more than; as, it cost over five dollars. ``Over all this.''
    --Chaucer.

  9. Above, implying superiority after a contest; in spite of; notwithstanding; as, he triumphed over difficulties; the bill was passed over the veto. Note: Over, in poetry, is often contracted into o'er. Note: Over his signature (or name) is a substitute for the idiomatic English form, under his signature (name, hand and seal, etc.), the reference in the latter form being to the authority under which the writing is made, executed, or published, and not the place of the autograph, etc. Over all (Her.), placed over or upon other bearings, and therefore hinding them in part; -- said of a charge. Over one's head, Over head and ears, beyond one's depth; completely; wholly; hopelessly; as, over head and ears in debt. head over heels

    1. completely; intensely; as, head over heels in love.

    2. in a tumbling manner; as, to fall head over heels down the stairs.

    3. precipitously and without forethought; impulsively.

      Over the left. See under Left.

      To run over (Mach.), to have rotation in such direction that the crank pin traverses the upper, or front, half of its path in the forward, or outward, stroke; -- said of a crank which drives, or is driven by, a reciprocating piece.

Wiktionary
over one's head

a. 1 (&lit lang=en over head) 2 (context idiomatic English) More complex or confusing than one can understand; beyond one’s comprehension. 3 (context idiomatic English) More than one can handle; too much (especially '''in over one’s head'''). 4 (context idiomatic sports English) perform at a level greatly superior to one's usual level of performance.

Usage examples of "over one's head".

Alea set up the figure-eight pattern Gar had shown her, and the pigs shied away, then started in, but the butt of the staff came back to crack very satisfyingly over one's head.

But it was not pleasant to hear a dead man's name shrieked over one's head by the wind.

She had scarcely seen it, had virtually no impression of it except it was made of plastic, stripes the colors of the American flag red white and blue, about five feet long perhaps, not a child's but a grown-up's float, an object of salvation if one were in water over one's head, in danger of drowning.

Revolutionary fervor can go only so far in providing sustenance to the body or a roof over one's head, especially now that I had other responsibilities.