over|rule /oʊ və r ruː l/ (overrules , overruling , overruled ) VERB If someone in authority overrules a person or their decision, they officially decide that the decision is incorrect or not valid. □ [V n] In 1991, the Court of Appeal overruled this decision. □ [V n] I told them it was a lousy idea, but I was overruled.
over|run /oʊ və r rʌ n/ (overruns , overrunning , overran ) The form overrun is used in the present tense and is also the past participle of the verb. 1 VERB If an army or an armed force overruns a place, area, or country, it succeeds in occupying it very quickly. □ [V n] A group of rebels overran the port area and most of the northern suburbs.
2 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you say that a place is overrun with or by things that you consider undesirable, you mean that there are a large number of them there. □ [+ by ] The Hotel has been ordered to close because it is overrun by mice and rats. □ [+ by ] Padua and Vicenza are prosperous, well-preserved cities, not overrun by tourists. [Also + with ]
3 VERB If an event or meeting overruns by, for example, ten minutes, it continues for ten minutes longer than it was intended to. □ [V + by ] Tuesday's lunch overran by three-quarters of an hour. □ [V n] The talks overran their allotted time. [Also V ]
4 VERB If costs overrun , they are higher than was planned or expected. [BUSINESS ] □ [V ] The US developer took a $163m hit after costs overran at the wind farm. □ [V n] Costs overran the budget by about 30%. ● N‑COUNT [usu n N ] Overrun is also a noun. □ [+ of ] He was stunned to discover cost overruns of at least $1 billion.
over|seas ◆◇◇ /oʊ və r siː z/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] You use overseas to describe things that involve or are in foreign countries, usually across a sea or an ocean. □ He has returned to South Africa from his long overseas trip. □ …overseas trade figures. ● ADV [ADV after v, oft be ADV ] Overseas is also an adverb. □ People think that living and working overseas is glamorous. It's not.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] An overseas student or visitor comes from a foreign country, usually across a sea or an ocean. □ Every year millions of overseas visitors come to London. SYNONYMS overseas ADJ 1
foreign: She was on her first foreign holiday without her parents.
internationaclass="underline" …emergency aid from the international community.
over|see /oʊ və r siː / (oversees , overseeing , oversaw , overseen ) VERB If someone in authority oversees a job or an activity, they make sure that it is done properly. □ [V n] Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.
over|seer /oʊ və r siːə r / (overseers )
1 N‑COUNT An overseer is someone whose job is to make sure that employees are working properly. □ I was put in the tailor shop, and I loved it. I was promoted to overseer.
2 N‑COUNT [usu with poss] If a person or organization is the overseer of a particular system or activity, they are responsible for making sure that the system or activity works properly and is successful. □ [+ of ] …the department's dual role as overseer of oil production and safety.
over|sell /oʊ və r se l/ (oversells , overselling , oversold ) VERB If you say that something or someone is oversold , you mean that people say they are better or more useful than they really are. □ [be V -ed] The benefits of higher education have been oversold.
over|sexed /oʊ və r se kst/ ADJ If you describe someone as oversexed , you mean that they are more interested in sex or more involved in sexual activities than you think they should be. [DISAPPROVAL ]
over|shad|ow /oʊ və r ʃæ doʊ/ (overshadows , overshadowing , overshadowed )
1 VERB If an unpleasant event or feeling overshadows something, it makes it less happy or enjoyable. □ [V n] Fears for the President's safety could overshadow his peace-making mission.
2 VERB [usu passive] If you are overshadowed by a person or thing, you are less successful, important, or impressive than they are. □ [be V -ed] Hester is overshadowed by her younger and more attractive sister.
3 VERB If one building, tree, or large structure overshadows another, it stands near it, is much taller than it, and casts a shadow over it. □ [V -ed] She said stations should be in the open, near housing, not overshadowed by trees or walls.
over|shoot (overshoots , overshooting , overshot ) The verb is pronounced /oʊ və r ʃuː t/. The noun is pronounced /oʊ və r ʃuːt/. 1 VERB If you overshoot a place that you want to get to, you go past it by mistake. □ [V n] The plane apparently overshot the runway after landing. [Also V ]
2 VERB If a government or organization overshoots its budget, it spends more than it had planned to. □ [V n] The government usually overshot its original spending target. ● N‑COUNT Overshoot is also a noun. □ [+ in ] …the 100 million pounds overshoot in the cost of building the hospital.
over|sight /oʊ və r sa I t/ (oversights )
1 N‑COUNT If there has been an oversight , someone has forgotten to do something which they should have done. □ By an unfortunate oversight, full instructions do not come with the product.
2 N‑UNCOUNT If someone has oversight of a process or system, they are responsible for making sure that it works efficiently and correctly. □ [+ of ] …a new system, where there'll be greater oversight of doctors.