Over- verbs, and c or s

Three 'over-' verbs. They are easy to mix up, because all three are about power:

• overthrow: remove a government or ruler by force (the infiltrators planned to overthrow the government of Kashmir);
• overrun: invade or occupy a place in large numbers (D Company held on for six hours before being overrun);
• overwhelm: flood or overpower someone, often with feelings ('She was overwhelmed by the response to her work').

The chapter also says 'overwhelming numerical superiority': an enemy too many to stand against.

Over- makes many verbs: overcome, overlook, overtake, overhear, overload, overcharge, overreact. Usually over- means too much, beyond or above.

C or S? A spelling rule for life. In these pairs, C makes the noun and S makes the verb:

• advice (noun: 'her advice is helpful') / advise (verb: 'she advises students');
• practice (noun: 'daily practice helps') / practise (verb: 'she practises her harmonium');
• device (noun: 'a strange device') / devise (verb: 'the scientist plans to devise new methods');
• council (noun: 'the village council met') / counsel (verb: 'counsel the villagers').

Two tips:

• You can hear some of them: say 'advise' and 'devise' aloud and you hear a z sound.
• This is British spelling, which we use. American English writes 'practice' for both.

Likewise, defence (British, which we use) and defense (American) mean exactly the same: protecting someone or something against attack or criticism.