over|charge /oʊ və r tʃɑː r dʒ/ (overcharges , overcharging , overcharged ) VERB If someone overcharges you, they charge you too much for their goods or services. □ [V n] If you feel a taxi driver has overcharged you, say so. ● over|charg|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ …protests of overcharging and harsh treatment of small businesses.
over|coat /oʊ və r koʊt/ (overcoats ) N‑COUNT An overcoat is a thick warm coat that you wear in winter.
over|come ◆◇◇ /oʊ və r kʌ m/ (overcomes , overcoming , overcame ) The form overcome is used in the present tense and is also the past participle. 1 VERB If you overcome a problem or a feeling, you successfully deal with it and control it. □ [V n] Molly had fought and overcome her fear of flying.
2 VERB If you are overcome by a feeling or event, it is so strong or has such a strong effect that you cannot think clearly. □ [be V -ed] The night before the test I was overcome by fear and despair. □ [V n] A dizziness overcame him, blurring his vision.
3 VERB [usu passive] If you are overcome by smoke or a poisonous gas, you become very ill or die from breathing it in. □ [be V -ed] The residents were trying to escape from the fire but were overcome by smoke. SYNONYMS overcome VERB 1
conquer: He has never conquered his addiction to smoking.
master: His genius alone has mastered every crisis.
over|crowd|ed /oʊ və r kraʊ d I d/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] An overcrowded place has too many things or people in it. □ …a windswept, overcrowded, unattractive beach.
over|crowd|ing /oʊ və r kraʊ d I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT If there is a problem of overcrowding , there are more people living in a place than it was designed for. □ [+ in ] Students were protesting at overcrowding in the university hostels.
over|do /oʊ və r duː / (overdoes , overdoing , overdid , overdone )
1 VERB If someone overdoes something, they behave in an exaggerated or extreme way. □ [V n] As with details, it's possible to overdo dialogue. □ [V it ] Some planning is required, but let's not overdo it.
2 VERB If you overdo an activity, you try to do more than you can physically manage. □ [V n] It is important never to overdo new exercises. □ [V it ] Doctors are worried she's overdoing it. She needs to take some time off.
over|done /oʊ və r dʌ n/
1 ADJ If food is overdone , it has been spoiled by being cooked for too long. □ The meat was overdone and the vegetables disappointing.
2 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you say that something is overdone , you mean that you think it is excessive or exaggerated. □ In fact, the panic is overdone. As the map shows, the drought has been confined to the south and east of Britain.
over|dose /oʊ və r doʊs/ (overdoses , overdosing , overdosed )
1 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If someone takes an overdose of a drug, they take more of it than is safe. □ Each year, one in 100 girls aged 15–19 takes an overdose.
2 VERB If someone overdoses on a drug, they take more of it than is safe. □ [V + on ] He'd overdosed on heroin. □ [V ] Medical opinion varies on how many tablets it takes to overdose.
3 N‑COUNT [usu sing] You can refer to too much of something, especially something harmful, as an overdose . □ [+ of ] An overdose of sun, sea, sand and chlorine can give lighter hair a green tinge.
4 VERB You can say that someone overdoses on something if they have or do too much of it. □ [V + on ] The city, he concluded, had overdosed on design. [Also V ]
over|draft /oʊ və r drɑːft, -dræft/ (overdrafts ) N‑COUNT If you have an overdraft , you have spent more money than you have in your bank account, and so you are in debt to the bank.
over|drawn /oʊ və r drɔː n/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you are overdrawn or if your bank account is overdrawn , you have spent more money than you have in your account, and so you are in debt to the bank. □ Nick's bank sent him a letter saying he was £100 overdrawn.
over|dressed /oʊ və r dre st/ ADJ If you say that someone is overdressed , you are criticizing them for wearing clothes that are not appropriate for the occasion because they are too formal or too smart.
over|drive /oʊ və r dra I v/ (overdrives )
1 N‑COUNT [usu sing, oft N n] The overdrive in a vehicle is a very high gear that is used when you are driving at high speeds.
2 PHRASE If you go into overdrive , you begin to work very hard or perform a particular activity in a very intense way. □ Henman went into overdrive, teasing and tormenting like a celebrated matador.
over|due /oʊ və r djuː , -duː /
1 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you say that a change or an event is overdue , you mean that you think it should have happened before now. □ This debate is long overdue.
2 ADJ Overdue sums of money have not been paid, even though it is later than the date on which they should have been paid. □ The average small company is owed almost £12,000 in overdue payments.
3 ADJ An overdue library book has not been returned to the library, even though the date on which it should have been returned has passed.
over|eat /oʊ və r iː t/ (overeats , overeating , overate , overeaten ) VERB If you say that someone overeats , you mean they eat more than they need to or more than is healthy. □ [V ] 40 percent of people said that stress had caused them to overeat or eat unhealthy foods. □ [V n] …people who overeat spicy foods. ● over|eater (overeaters ) N‑COUNT □ She eats in secret like most compulsive overeaters. ● over|eat|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ The main cause of being overweight is overeating.