1.overthrow的基本意思是指使用暴力等手段将某人或某物彻底摧毁,即“打倒,推翻”。
2.overthrow多用作及物动词,后接名词或代词作宾语。可用于被动结构。
3.overthrow的过去式为overthrew,过去分词为overthrown。

用作及物动词
▲S+～+n./pron.
They overthrew their King.他们推翻了国王。
The army had lawlessly overthrown the democratic government of this country.军队已经非法推翻了这个国家的民主政府。
He stumbled and overthrew the chair.他绊了一下,打翻了椅子。
◇ 用于be ～ed结构
Laws are openly violated; standards of behavior are overthrown.法律公然被践踏; 行为准则被破坏。
The cart and fruit were overthrown by a speeding car.手推车和水果被一辆急驰而过的汽车撞翻了。
The trees were all overthrown by the windstorm.树木全被风暴刮倒了。
The city was overthrown by a great fire in 1933.那座城市于1933年毁于一场大火。

overthrow, subvert
这组词的共同含义是“推翻”。其区别是:overthrow强调用力量、暴力等手段彻底“打败,推翻,摧毁”某物; 而subvert则指用破坏支柱、削弱基础等手段“颠覆”有实际价值的东西,常含有“破坏,腐蚀”的意思。

After the overthrow of the government, the country was in chaos.政府被推翻后,这个国家处于混乱中。
The revolution caused the overthrow of the autocracy.这场革命导致了独裁政体的结束。

［同义词］ n.  defeat, downfall, rebellion, revolution
［反义词］ n.  defense, preservation, protection