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If I put the word "over" in my answer, is it wrong?

English Language & Usage Asked by Thura Htun on December 31, 2020

The given context is as follows:
The lack of a strong gravitational pull has caused any water the moon may have had to leak out into space over the 4.6 billion years that it has been in existence.

According to the context, the question is "How old is the moon?"

My answer is "The moon is 4.6 billion years old."

In my answer if I omit the word "over" before "the 4.6 billion years", can you say I am wrong?

One Answer

The "over" in

  1. "... any water [that] the moon may have had to leak out into space over the 4.6 billion years that it has been in existence."

means = during the period of

OED:

over: 21. [...] for a period that includes.

This is not the same as the "over" in

  1. "The moon is over 4.6 billion years old."

OED

over: 13. In excess of, above, more than (a stated amount or number).

Answered by Greybeard on December 31, 2020

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