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# overlord

noun (an overlord, overlords)

«overlord» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A ruler who has power over other rulers or lords, especially in the Middle Ages. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/overlord/#m1)
2. A person or group that controls others completely; often used jokingly: "our new robot overlords". [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/overlord/#m2)

### In the lessons

In history lessons about the Middle Ages, a king or great lord was the overlord of smaller lords, who promised loyalty and soldiers in return for land (the feudal system). In stories and films, an evil overlord rules a land cruelly. In jokes, people say "our cat is the overlord of this house".

### Examples

- The king was overlord of all the barons in England. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/overlord/#x1)
- Each knight promised to fight for his overlord. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/overlord/#x2)
- In the game, you must defeat the dark overlord of the volcano. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/overlord/#x3)
- The local lords paid taxes to their overlord. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/overlord/#x4)
- "All hail the cat, overlord of the sofa!" laughed Mum. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/overlord/#x5)
- The villagers feared the cruel overlord in the castle. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/overlord/#x6)
- His new overlord would demand the service of one of his sons. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/overlord/#x7)

### Note

Countable: an overlord, overlords. Mostly a history or story word; in real modern life people rarely say it seriously. Do not confuse with "landlord" (someone who rents a home to you).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «overlord» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/overlord/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«overlord» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/overlord.html) on Mova free.