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stables are overrun with rats. 2 [I;T] to continue beyond (a time limit or a previously decided stopping place): Sorry I'm late; the meeting overran.
o·ver·seas /ˌəʊvəˈsiːz || -vər-/ adj, adv to, at, or in somewhere across the sea; foreign: overseas markets | They've gone to live overseas.
1 Overseas students/foreign students have come to one's own country from abroad in order to study; the same idea is expressed by students from overseas. But students overseas are people studying in other countries. 2 Compare overseas and foreign. Overseas as an adjective can only be used before a noun, and, in British English, is slightly more polite than foreign: You're foreign aren't you? | You're one of our foreign/overseas students, aren't you?
o·ver·see /ˌəʊvəˈsiː || -vər-/ v -saw /'sɔː/, -seen /'siːn/ [T] to watch to see that work is properly done: to oversee the work/the workers —seer /'əʊvəˌsɪəər || -vər-/ n
o·ver·sell /ˌəʊvə'sel || -vər-/ v -sold /'səʊld/ [T] infml to praise too much
o·ver·sexed /ˌəʊvə'sekst || -vər-/ adj derog having unusually strong sexual desire → opposite UNDERSEXED
o·ver·shad·ow /ˌəʊvə'ʃædəʊ || -vər-/ v [T] 1 to throw a shadow over: (fig.) The threat of war overshadowed the nation. (=made it worried and unhappy) 2 to make appear less important: Her new book will overshadow all her earlier ones.
o·ver·shoe /'əʊvəʃuː || -vər-/ n a rubber shoe worn over an ordinary shoe; GALOSH → see PAIR (USAGE)
o·ver·shoot /ˌəʊvə'ʃuːt || -vər-/ v -shot /'ʃɒt || 'ʃɑːt/ [I;T] to go or shoot too far or beyond, and miss: The train overshot the station.
o·ver·side /ˌəʊvə'saɪd || -vər-/ adv AmE over the side of a ship into the water
o·ver·sight /'əʊvəsaɪt || -vər-/ n 1 [C;U] (an) unintended failure to notice or do something: The mistake was the result of (an) oversight. 2 [S;U] fml watchfulness
o·ver·sim·pli·fy /ˌəʊvə'sɪmplɪfaɪ || -vər-/ v [I;T] to express (something) too simply —·fi·ca·tion /ˌəʊvəˌsɪmplɪfɪ'keɪʃən || -vər-/ n [C;U]
,over-'sixties [the+P] people who are over 60 years old: moderately-paced cycling holidays for the over-sixties | an over-sixties club
o·ver·sized /ˌəʊvə'saɪzd || -vər-/ also o·ver·size /-'saɪz/ adj bigger than usual; too big: oversized ears
o·ver·sleep /ˌəʊvə'sliːp || -vər-/ v -slept /'slept/ [I] to sleep longer than one intended: I overslept this morning and was late for work. → compare SLEEP IN
o·ver·spill /'əʊvəspɪl || -vər-/ n [C usually sing.] especially BrE people who leave a city because too many people live there, and settle on the edges or beyond: A new town was built for London's overspill.
o·ver·staffed /ˌəʊvə'stɑːft || ˌəʊvər'stæft/ adj having more workers than are needed; OVERMANNED → opposite UNDERSTAFFED
o·ver·state /ˌəʊvə'steɪt || -vər-/ v [T] to state too strongly, making things appear better, worse, or more important than they really are: She overstated her case, so we didn't believe her. → opposite UNDERSTATE —·ment n [C;U]
o·ver·stay /ˌəʊvə'steɪ || -vər-/ v [T] to stay beyond the end of (a period of time) → see also overstay one's welcome (WELCOME⁴)
o·ver·step /ˌəʊvə'step || -vər-/ v -pp- [T] to go beyond (a limit of what is wise or proper): to overstep the limits/boundaries of good taste | She overstepped her authority. | I've been very patient so far, but he's really overstepped the mark this time!
o·ver·stock /ˌəʊvə'stɒk || ˌəʊvər'stɑːk/ v [I;T(with)] to keep more supplies than are needed in (a place): We'd overstocked the shop with copies of an unpopular textbook.
o·ver·stretch /ˌəʊvə'stretʃ || -vər-/ v [T] to try to do more than you are able to, or to use more money, supplies etc than you have: an overstretched social services department | overstretch yourself Problems only arise when people overstretch themselves.
o·ver·strung /ˌəʊvə'strʌŋ || -vər-/ adj too sensitive and nervous; HIGHLY-STRUNG
o·ver·sub·scribed /ˌəʊvəsəb'skraɪbd || -vər-/ adj with more wanted than is on sale: This play is very popular; seats in the theatre are oversubscribed. → opposite UNDERSUBSCRIBED
o·vert /'əʊvɜːt, əʊ'vɜːt || -ɜːrt/ adj fml (of beliefs or actions) public; not secret: overt moves to undermine his authority → opposite COVERT —ly adv
o·ver·take /ˌəʊvə'teɪk || -vər-/ v -took /'tʊk/, -taken /'teɪkən/ 1 [I;T] to come up to from behind, and pass: Don't overtake on a corner. We overtook the slow lorry. | Smith has overtaken Jones's record. 2 [T] (of something unpleasant) to reach suddenly and unexpectedly: overtaken by misfortune
o·ver·tax /ˌəʊvə'tæks || -vər-/ v [T] 1 a) to put too great a tax on (goods) b) to demand too much tax from (people) 2 to force beyond a limit: Don't overtax your strength/yourself!
,over-the-'coun·ter abbrev. OTC adj 1 AmE (of certain business shares) not LISTed on an official STOCK EXCHANGE list: over-the-counter securities 2 (of a drug) available without a doctor's PRESCRIPTION
,over the 'top abbrev. OTT adj BrE extreme or exaggerated (EXAGGERATE): That's a bit over the top, isn't it? He's right-wing, but I wouldn't call him a fascist. | Just look at her hat - all those feathers! Completely OTT!
o·ver·throw¹ /ˌəʊvə'θrəʊ || -vər-/ v -threw /'θruː/, -thrown /'θrəʊn/ [T] to defeat, especially using force; remove from a position of power: Rebels have overthrown the government.
o·ver·throw² /'əʊvəθrəʊ || -vər-/ n 1 [C usually sing.] defeat; removal from power: the violent overthrow of the government 2 (in cricket) a poor return of the ball from a FIELDER that allows further runs to be scored (SCORE)
o·ver·time /'əʊvətaɪm || -vər-/ n, adv [U] 1 (time) beyond the usual time, especially working time: They're working overtime to finish the job. | He's on overtime tonight. 2 payment for working more than the usual time. The amount people are paid for each hour of overtime is usually much more than they are paid for working their usual hours: to pay/earn overtime 3 AmE time added to the end of a game (of football etc) when time has been lost during the game, e.g. because a player was hurt, or when the points total of the teams are level at the end of ordinary time
o·ver·tone /'əʊvətəʊn || -vər-/ n tech 1 a musical note higher than a main note and sounding together with it 2 a colour that one thinks one can see when looking at another colour
o·ver·tones /'əʊvətəʊnz || -vər-/ n [Pl of] things that are suggested but not shown or stated clearly: His words were polite, but there were overtones of anger in his voice. → compare UNDERTONE
o·ver·took /ˌəʊvə'tʊk || -vər-/ past tense of OVERTAKE
o·ver·top /ˌəʊvə'tɒp || ˌəʊvər'tɑːp/ v -pp- [T] fml to be higher or better than
o·ver·ture /'əʊvətʃʊə, -tʃʊər, -tʃər || -vər-/ n 1 a musical introduction to a long musical piece, especially an OPERA 2 a short musical piece for playing at the beginning of a concert
o·ver·tures /'əʊvətʊəz, -tʃʊərz, -tʃərz || -vər-/ n [P] an offer to begin talks with someone in the hope of reaching an agreement: Their government is making overtures for/of peace.
o·ver·turn /ˌəʊvə'tɜːn || ˌəʊvər'tɜːrn/ v 1 [I;T] to (cause to) turn over; CAPSIZE: The boat overturned. | They overturned the boat/lamp. 2 [T] to bring (especially a government) to an end suddenly 3 [T] to decide that (an original result etc) was wrong: The judges overturned the decision of the lower court.
o·ver·view /'əʊvəvjuː || -vər-/ n 1 a usually short account (of something) which gives a general picture but no details; SUMMARY: The managing director gave us an overview of the company's marketing plans for the coming year. 2 an examination of something, e.g. a company system or plan, that does not go into detail but considers it as a whole: We need someone to take an overview and plan the company's long-term strategy.