out|per|form /aʊ tpə r fɔː r m/ (outperforms , outperforming , outperformed ) VERB If one thing outperforms another, the first is more successful or efficient than the second. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V n] In recent years our economy has outperformed most other industrial economies.
out|place|ment /aʊ tple I smənt/ N‑UNCOUNT [usu N n] An outplacement agency gives advice to managers and other professional people who have recently become unemployed, and helps them find new jobs. [BUSINESS ]
out|play /aʊ tple I / (outplays , outplaying , outplayed ) VERB In sports, if one person or team outplays an opposing person or team, they play much better than their opponents. □ [V n] He was outplayed by the Swedish 21-year-old.
out|point /aʊ tpɔ I nt/ (outpoints , outpointing , outpointed ) VERB In boxing, if one boxer outpoints another, they win the match by getting more points then their opponent. □ [V n] Kane won the world title in 1938 when he outpointed Jackie Durich.
out|post /aʊ tpoʊst/ (outposts ) N‑COUNT An outpost is a small group of buildings used for trading or military purposes, either in a distant part of your own country or in a foreign country. □ …a remote mountain outpost, linked to the outside world by the poorest of roads. [Also + of ]
out|pour|ing /aʊ tpɔːr I ŋ/ (outpourings ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] An outpouring of something such as an emotion or a reaction is the expression of it in an uncontrolled way. □ [+ of ] The news of his death produced an instant outpouring of grief.
out|put ◆◇◇ /aʊ tpʊt/ (outputs )
1 N‑VAR Output is used to refer to the amount of something that a person or thing produces. □ Government statistics show the largest drop in industrial output for ten years.
2 N‑VAR The output of a computer or word processor is the information that it displays on a screen or prints on paper as a result of a particular program. □ You run the software, you look at the output, you make modifications.
out|rage (outrages , outraging , outraged ) The verb is pronounced /aʊ tre I dʒ/. The noun is pronounced /aʊ tre I dʒ/. 1 VERB If you are outraged by something, it makes you extremely shocked and angry. □ [be V -ed] Many people have been outraged by some of the things that have been said. □ [V n] Reports of torture and mass executions in Serbia's detention camps have outraged the world's religious leaders. ● out|raged ADJ □ [+ at/about ] He is truly outraged about what's happened to him.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Outrage is an intense feeling of anger and shock. □ [+ from ] The decision provoked outrage from women and human rights groups.
3 N‑COUNT You can refer to an act or event which you find very shocking as an outrage . □ The latest outrage was to have been a co-ordinated gun and bomb attack on the station.
out|ra|geous /aʊtre I dʒəs/ ADJ If you describe something as outrageous , you are emphasizing that it is unacceptable or very shocking. [EMPHASIS ] □ I must apologise for my outrageous behaviour. □ Charges for local phone calls are particularly outrageous. ● out|ra|geous|ly ADV [usu ADV adj] □ Car-parks are few, crammed, and outrageously expensive.
out|ran /aʊ træ n/ Outran is the past tense of outrun .
out|rank /aʊ træ ŋk/ (outranks , outranking , outranked ) VERB If one person outranks another person, he or she has a higher position or grade within an organization than the other person. □ [V n] The most junior executive officer outranked the senior engineer officer aboard ship.
outré /uː tre I , [AM ] uːtre I / ADJ Something that is outré is very unusual and strange. [FORMAL ] □ …outré outfits designed by students at the Royal College of Art.
out|reach /aʊ triːtʃ/ N‑UNCOUNT [usu N n] Outreach programmes and schemes try to find people who need help or advice rather than waiting for those people to come and ask for help. □ …the outreach work that she has done to encourage girls to study physics at university level.
out|rid|er /aʊ tra I də r / (outriders ) N‑COUNT [usu n N ] Outriders are people such as police officers who ride on motorcycles or horses beside or in front of an official vehicle, in order to protect the people in the vehicle. □ …a black Mercedes with motorcycle outriders provided by the city's police.
out|right The adjective is pronounced /aʊ tra I t/. The adverb is pronounced /aʊ tra I t/. 1 ADJ [ADJ n] You use outright to describe behaviour and actions that are open and direct, rather than indirect. □ Kawaguchi finally resorted to an outright lie. □ …outright condemnation. ● ADV [ADV after v] Outright is also an adverb. □ Why are you so mysterious? Why don't you tell me outright?
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Outright means complete and total. □ She had failed to win an outright victory. □ The response of the audience varied from outright rejection to warm hospitality. ● ADV [ADV after v] Outright is also an adverb. □ The peace plan wasn't rejected outright. ● PHRASE If someone is killed outright , they die immediately, for example in an accident. □ My driver was killed outright.
out|run /aʊ trʌ n/ (outruns , outrunning , outran ) The form outrun is used in the present tense and is also the past participle of the verb. 1 VERB If you outrun someone, you run faster than they do, and therefore are able to escape from them or to arrive somewhere before they do. □ [V n] There are not many players who can outrun me.
2 VERB If one thing outruns another thing, the first thing develops faster than the second thing. □ [V n] Spending could outrun the capacity of businesses to produce the goods.
out|sell /aʊ tse l/ (outsells , outselling , outsold ) VERB If one product outsells another product, the first product is sold more quickly or in larger quantities than the second. [BUSINESS ] □ [V n] The company consistently outsells all other European designers.
out|set /aʊ tset/ PHRASE If something happens at the outset of an event, process, or period of time, it happens at the beginning of it. If something happens from the outset it happens from the beginning and continues to happen. □ Decide at the outset what kind of learning programme you want to follow. □ From the outset he had put his trust in me, the son of his old friend.
out|shine /aʊ tʃa I n/ (outshines , outshining , outshone ) VERB If you outshine someone at a particular activity, you are much better at it than they are. □ [V n] Jesse has begun to outshine me in sports.
out|side ◆◆◆ /aʊ tsa I d/ (outsides ) The form outside of can also be used as a preposition. This form is more usual in American English. 1 N‑COUNT The outside of something is the part which surrounds or encloses the rest of it. □ [+ of ] …the outside of the building. □ Cook over a fairly high heat until the outsides are browned. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Outside is also an adjective. □ …high up on the outside wall.
2 ADV [be ADV , ADV after v, n ADV ] If you are outside , you are not inside a building but are quite close to it. □ 'Was the car inside the garage?'—'No, it was still outside.'. □ Outside, the light was fading rapidly. □ The shouting outside grew louder. ● PREP Outside is also a preposition. □ The victim was outside a shop when he was attacked. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Outside is also an adjective. □ …the outside temperature. □ …an outside toilet.
3 PREP If you are outside a room, you are not in it but are in the passage or area next to it. □ She'd sent him outside the classroom. □ He stood in the narrow hallway just outside the door. ● ADV [ADV after v, n ADV ] Outside is also an adverb. □ They heard voices coming from outside in the corridor.
4 ADJ [ADJ n] When you talk about the outside world, you are referring to things that happen or exist in places other than your own home or community. □ …a side of Morris's character she hid carefully from the outside world. □ It's important to have outside interests. ● ADV [ADV after v] Outside is also an adverb. □ The scheme was good for the prisoners because it brought them outside into the community.
5 PREP People or things outside a country, town, or region are not in it. □ …an old castle outside Budapest. □ By broadcasting from 'pirate' radio ships based outside British territorial waters, they avoided official regulation. ● N‑SING Outside is also a noun. □ Peace cannot be imposed from the outside by the United States or anyone else.
6 ADJ [ADJ n] On a road with two separate carriageways, the outside lanes are the ones which are closest to its centre. Compare inside . □ It was travelling in the outside lane at 78mph.
7 ADJ [ADJ n] Outside people or organizations are not part of a particular organization or group. □ The company now makes much greater use of outside consultants. ● PREP Outside is also a preposition. □ He is hoping to recruit a chairman from outside the company.
8 PREP Outside a particular institution or field of activity means in other fields of activity or in general life. □ …the largest merger ever to take place outside the oil industry.
9 PREP Something that is outside a particular range of things is not included within it. □ She is a beautiful boat, but way, way outside my price range.
10 PREP Something that happens outside a particular period of time happens at a different time from the one mentioned. □ They are open outside normal daily banking hours.
11 PHRASE You use at the outside to say that you think that a particular amount is the largest possible in a particular situation, or that a particular time is the latest possible time for something to happen. □ Give yourself forty minutes at the outside.
ou t|side broa d|cast (outside broadcasts ) N‑COUNT An outside broadcast is a radio or television programme that is not recorded or filmed in a studio, but in another building or in the open air. [BRIT ] in AM, use remote broadcast
out|sid|er /aʊ tsa I də r / (outsiders )
1 N‑COUNT An outsider is someone who does not belong to a particular group or organization. □ The most likely outcome may be to subcontract much of the work to an outsider.
2 N‑COUNT An outsider is someone who is not accepted by a particular group, or who feels that they do not belong in it. □ Malone, a cop, felt as much an outsider as any of them.
3 N‑COUNT In a competition, an outsider is a competitor who is unlikely to win. □ He was an outsider in the race to be the new U.N. Secretary-General.
out|size /aʊ tsa I z/ also outsized ADJ [usu ADJ n] Outsize or outsized things are much larger than usual or much larger than you would expect. [BRIT ] □ …an outsize pair of scissors.
out|skirts /aʊ tskɜː r ts/ N‑PLURAL The outskirts of a city or town are the parts of it that are farthest away from its centre. □ [+ of ] Hours later we reached the outskirts of New York.
out|smart /aʊ tsmɑː r t/ (outsmarts , outsmarting , outsmarted ) VERB If you outsmart someone, you defeat them or gain an advantage over them in a clever and sometimes dishonest way. □ [V n] Troy was very clever for his age and had already figured out ways to outsmart her.
out|sold /aʊ tsoʊ ld/ Outsold is the past tense and past participle of outsell .
out|source /aʊ tsɔː r s/ (outsources , outsourcing , outsourced ) VERB If a company outsources work or things, it pays workers from outside the company to do the work or supply the things. [BUSINESS ] □ [V n] Increasingly, corporate clients are seeking to outsource the management of their facilities. [Also V ] ● out|sourc|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ I do not favour outsourcing of tasks such as hospital cleaning.
out|spo|ken /aʊ tspoʊ kən/ ADJ Someone who is outspoken gives their opinions about things openly and honestly, even if they are likely to shock or offend people. □ [+ in ] Some church leaders have been outspoken in their support for political reform in Kenya. ● out|spo|ken|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ His outspokenness has ensured that he has at least one senior enemy within the BBC hierarchy.
out|stand|ing ◆◇◇ /aʊ tstæ nd I ŋ/
1 ADJ If you describe someone or something as outstanding , you think that they are very remarkable and impressive. □ Derartu is an outstanding athlete and deserved to win. □ …an area of outstanding natural beauty.
2 ADJ Money that is outstanding has not yet been paid and is still owed to someone. □ You have to pay your outstanding bill before joining the scheme.
3 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Outstanding issues or problems have not yet been resolved. □ We still have some outstanding issues to resolve.
4 ADJ Outstanding means very important or obvious. □ The company is an outstanding example of a small business that grew into a big one. SYNONYMS outstanding ADJ 1
remarkable: It was a remarkable achievement.
extraordinary: Rozhdestvensky is an extraordinary musician.
exceptional: …children with exceptional ability.
out|stand|ing|ly /aʊ tstæ nd I ŋli/ ADV [ADV adj/adv] You use outstandingly to emphasize how good, or occasionally how bad, something is. [EMPHASIS ] □ Salzburg is an outstandingly beautiful place to visit.
out|stay /aʊ tste I / (outstays , outstaying , outstayed ) to outstay your welcome → see welcome
out|stretched /aʊ tstre tʃt/ ADJ If a part of the body of a person or animal is outstretched , it is stretched out as far as possible. □ She came to Anna her arms outstretched.
out|strip /aʊ tstr I p/ (outstrips , outstripping , outstripped ) VERB If one thing outstrips another, the first thing becomes larger in amount, or more successful or important, than the second thing. □ [V n] In 1989 and 1990, demand outstripped supply, and prices went up by more than a third.
ou t-take (out-takes ) also outtake N‑COUNT An out-take is a piece of film or a song that is not in the final version of a programme, film, or record, for example because it contains a mistake.
ou t-there ADJ Someone or something that is out-there is very extreme or unusual. [INFORMAL ] □ It takes a certain type of person to carry off the more out-there looks.
ou t tray (out trays ) also out-tray N‑COUNT An out tray is a shallow container used in offices to put letters and documents in when they have been dealt with and are ready to be sent somewhere else. Compare in tray .
out|vote /aʊ tvoʊ t/ (outvotes , outvoting , outvoted ) VERB If you are outvoted , more people vote against what you are suggesting than vote for it, so that your suggestion is defeated. □ [be V -ed] I didn't want to sell, but was outvoted by my half-siblings. □ [V n] Twice his colleagues have outvoted him.
out|ward /aʊ twə r d/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] An outward journey is a journey that you make away from a place that you are intending to return to later. □ Tickets must be bought seven days in advance, with outward and return journey dates specified.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] The outward feelings, qualities, or attitudes of someone or something are the ones they appear to have rather than the ones that they actually have. □ In spite of my outward calm, I was very shaken. □ What the military rulers have done is to restore the outward appearance of order.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] The outward features of something are the ones that you can see from the outside. □ Mark was lying unconscious but with no outward sign of injury.
4 → see also outwards
out|ward|ly /aʊ twə r dli/ ADV [ADV adj/adv] You use outwardly to indicate the feelings or qualities that a person or situation may appear to have, rather than the ones that they actually have. □ They may feel tired and though outwardly calm, can be irritable. □ Outwardly, little seems to have changed.
out|wards /aʊ twə r dz/ also outward
1 ADV [ADV after v] If something moves or faces outwards , it moves or faces away from the place you are in or the place you are talking about. □ The top door opened outwards.
2 ADV [ADV after v] If you say that a person or a group of people, such as a government, looks outwards , you mean that they turn their attention to another group that they are interested in or would like greater involvement with. □ Other poor countries looked outward, strengthening their ties to the economic superpowers.
out|weigh /aʊ twe I / (outweighs , outweighing , outweighed ) VERB If one thing outweighs another, the first thing is of greater importance, benefit, or significance than the second thing. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] The advantages of this deal largely outweigh the disadvantages.
out|wit /aʊ tw I t/ (outwits , outwitting , outwitted ) VERB If you outwit someone, you use your intelligence or a clever trick to defeat them or to gain an advantage over them. □ [V n] To win the presidency, he had first to outwit his rivals within the Socialist Party.
out|with /aʊtw I θ/ PREP In Scottish English, outwith means outside. □ It is, however, necessary on occasion to work outwith these hours.
out|worn /aʊ twɔː r n/ ADJ If you describe a belief or custom as outworn , you mean that it is old-fashioned and no longer has any meaning or usefulness. □ …an ancient nation irretrievably sunk in an outworn culture.
ouzo /uː zoʊ/ (ouzos ) N‑UNCOUNT Ouzo is a strong aniseed-flavoured alcoholic drink that is made in Greece. ● N‑COUNT A glass of ouzo can be referred to as an ouzo .
ova /oʊ və/ Ova is the plural of ovum .
oval /oʊ v ə l/ (ovals ) ADJ [usu ADJ n] Oval things have a shape that is like a circle but is wider in one direction than the other. □ …the small oval framed picture of a little boy. ● N‑COUNT [usu sing] Oval is also a noun. □ Using 2 spoons, mould the cheese into small balls or ovals.
ovar|ian /oʊveə riən/ ADJ [ADJ n] Ovarian means in or relating to the ovaries. □ …a new treatment for ovarian cancer.
ova|ry /oʊ vəri/ (ovaries ) N‑COUNT A woman's ovaries are the two organs in her body that produce eggs.
ova|tion /oʊve I ʃ ə n/ (ovations )
1 N‑COUNT An ovation is a large amount of applause from an audience for a particular performer or speaker. [FORMAL ] □ They had lost by a wide margin, but their supporters gave them a defiant, loyal ovation.
2 → see also standing ovation
oven /ʌ v ə n/ (ovens ) N‑COUNT An oven is a device for cooking that is like a box with a door. You heat it and cook food inside it.
oven|proof /ʌ v ə npruːf/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] An ovenproof dish is one that has been specially made to be used in an oven without being damaged by the heat.
over
➊ POSITION AND MOVEMENT
➋ AMOUNTS AND OCCURRENCES
➌ OTHER USES
➊ over ◆◆◆ /oʊ və r / In addition to the uses shown below, over is used after some verbs, nouns, and adjectives in order to introduce extra information. Over is also used in phrasal verbs such as 'hand over' and 'glaze over'. 1 PREP If one thing is over another thing or is moving over it, the first thing is directly above the second, either resting on it, or with a space between them. □ He looked at himself in the mirror over the table. □ …a bridge over the river Danube. ● ADV [ADV after v] Over is also an adverb. □ …planes flying over every 10 or 15 minutes.
2 PREP If one thing is over another thing, it is supported by it and its ends are hanging down on each side of it. □ A grey mackintosh was folded over her arm. □ Joe's clothing was flung over the back of a chair.
3 PREP If one thing is over another thing, it covers part or all of it. □ Mix the ingredients and pour over the mushrooms. □ He was wearing a light-grey suit over a shirt. □ He pulled the cap halfway over his ears. ● ADV [ADV after v] Over is also an adverb. □ Heat this syrup and pour it over.
4 PREP If you lean over an object, you bend your body so that the top part of it is above the object. □ They stopped to lean over a gate. □ Everyone in the room was bent over her desk. ● ADV [ADV after v] Over is also an adverb. □ Sam leant over to open the door of the car.
5 PREP If you look over or talk over an object, you look or talk across the top of it. □ I went and stood beside him, looking over his shoulder. □ …conversing over the fence with your friend.
6 PREP If a window has a view over an area of land or water, you can see the land or water through the window. □ …a light and airy bar with a wonderful view over the River Amstel.
7 PREP If someone or something goes over a barrier, obstacle, or boundary, they get to the other side of it by going across it, or across the top of it. □ I stepped over a broken piece of wood. □ He'd just come over the border. ● ADV [ADV after v] Over is also an adverb. □ I climbed over into the back seat.
8 PREP If someone or something moves over an area or surface, they move across it, from one side to the other. □ She ran swiftly over the lawn to the gate. □ Joe passed his hand over his face and looked puzzled.
9 PREP If something is on the opposite side of a road or river, you can say that it is over the road or river. □ …a fashionable neighbourhood, just over the river from Manhattan.
10 ADV [ADV after v] If you go over to a place, you go to that place. □ [+ to ] I got out the car and drove over to Dervaig. □ I thought you might have invited her over.
11 ADV [ADV after v] You can use over to indicate a particular position or place a short distance away from someone or something. □ He noticed Rolfe standing silently over by the window. □ John reached over and took Joanna's hand.
12 ADV [ADV after v] You use over to say that someone or something falls towards or onto the ground, often suddenly or violently. □ He was knocked over by a bus and broke his leg. □ The truck had gone off the road and toppled over.
13 ADV [ADV after v] If something rolls over or is turned over , its position changes so that the part that was facing upwards is now facing downwards. □ His car rolled over after a tyre was punctured. □ The alarm did go off but all I did was yawn, turn over and go back to sleep.
14 PHRASE All over a place means in every part of it. □ …the letters she received from people all over the world.
15 PHRASE Over here means near you, or in the country you are in. □ Why don't you come over here tomorrow evening?
16 PHRASE Over there means in a place a short distance away from you, or in another country. □ The cafe is just across the road over there. □ She'd married some American and settled down over there.
➋ over ◆◆◆ /oʊ və r /
1 PREP If something is over a particular amount, measurement, or age, it is more than that amount, measurement, or age. □ I carried out a survey of over a thousand patients. □ I met George well over a year ago. ● ADV Over is also an adverb. □ …people aged 65 and over.
2 PHRASE Over and above an amount, especially a normal amount, means more than that amount or in addition to it. □ Expenditure on education has gone up by seven point eight per cent over and above inflation.
3 ADV [be ADV , n ADV , ADV after v] If you say that you have some food or money over , you mean that it remains after you have used all that you need. □ Larsons pay me well enough, but there's not much over for luxuries when there's two of you. □ Primrose was given an apple, left over from our picnic lunch.
4 ADV [ADV after v] If you do something over , you do it again or start doing it again from the beginning. [AM ] □ She said if she had the chance to do it over, she would have hired a press secretary.
5 PHRASE If you say that something happened twice over , three times over and so on, you are stating the number of times that it happened and emphasizing that it happened more than once. [EMPHASIS ] □ He had to have everything spelled out twice over for him.
6 PHRASE If you do something over again , you do it again or start doing it again from the beginning. [BRIT ] □ If I was living my life over again I wouldn't have attended so many committee meetings.
7 PHRASE If you say that something is happening all over again , you are emphasizing that it is happening again, and you are suggesting that it is tiring, boring, or unpleasant. [EMPHASIS ] □ The whole process started all over again. □ He had to prove himself all over again.
8 PHRASE If you say that something happened over and over or over and over again , you are emphasizing that it happened many times. [EMPHASIS ] □ He plays the same songs over and over. □ 'I don't understand it,' he said, over and over again.
➌ over ◆◆◆ /oʊ və r /
1 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If an activity is over or all over , it is completely finished. □ Warplanes that have landed there will be kept until the war is over. □ I am glad it's all over.
2 PREP If you are over an illness or an experience, it has finished and you have recovered from its effects. □ I'm glad that you're over the flu. □ She was still getting over the shock of what she had been told.
3 PREP If you have control or influence over someone or something, you are able to control them or influence them. □ He's never had any influence over her. □ The oil companies have lost their power over oil price and oil production.
4 PREP You use over to indicate what a disagreement or feeling relates to or is caused by. □ …public concern over the possible relationship between behaviour and the intake of certain food additives. □ Staff at some air and sea ports are beginning to protest over pay.
5 PREP If something happens over a particular period of time or over something such as a meal, it happens during that time or during the meal. □ Many strikes over the last few years have not ended successfully. □ Over breakfast we discussed plans for the day. □ …discussing the problem over a cup of coffee.
6 PREP You use over to indicate that you give or receive information using a phone, radio, or other piece of electrical equipment. □ I'm not prepared to discuss this over the phone. □ The head of state addressed the nation over the radio.
7 PHRASE The presenter of a radio or television programme says ' over to someone' to indicate the person who will speak next. □ With the rest of the sports news, over to Colin Maitland.
8 CONVENTION When people such as the police or the army are using a radio to communicate, they say ' Over ' to indicate that they have finished speaking and are waiting for a reply. [FORMULAE ]
9 N‑COUNT In cricket, an over consists of six correctly bowled balls. □ At the start of the last over, the Welsh county were favourites.
PREFIX over-
forms words that refer to a quality of action that exists or is done to too great an extent. For example, if someone is being over-cautious , they are being too cautious.
over|achieve /oʊ vərətʃiː v/ (overachieves , overachieving , overachieved ) VERB If someone overachieves in something such as school work or a job, they work very hard, especially in a way that makes them tired or unhappy. They want to be successful because it is very important to them to do well and not because they enjoy what they are doing. □ [V ] …emotions such as guilt, compulsion to please or overachieve, or depression. ● over|achiev|er (overachievers ) N‑COUNT □ He comes from a family of overachievers.
over|act /oʊ vəræ kt/ (overacts , overacting , overacted ) VERB If you say that someone overacts , you mean they exaggerate their emotions and movements, usually when acting in a play. □ [V ] Sometimes he had overacted in his role as Prince.
o ver-a ge
1 ADJ If you are over-age , you are officially too old to do something. □ He was a couple of months over-age for the youth team.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] You use over-age to describe someone who is doing something that is usually done by much younger people, and which therefore seems inappropriate or silly. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …an over-age nightclub singer.
over|all ◆◆◇ (overalls ) The adjective and adverb are pronounced /oʊ vərɔː l/. The noun is pronounced /oʊ vərɔːl/. 1 ADJ [ADJ n] You use overall to indicate that you are talking about a situation in general or about the whole of something. □ …the overall rise in unemployment. □ Cut down your overall amount of physical activity. ● ADV Overall is also an adverb. □ Overall I was disappointed. □ The college has few ways to assess the quality of education overall.
2 N‑PLURAL [oft a pair of N ] Overalls consist of a single piece of clothing that combines trousers and a jacket. You wear overalls over your clothes in order to protect them while you are working. □ …workers in blue overalls.
3 N‑PLURAL [oft a pair of N ] Overalls are trousers that are attached to a piece of cloth which covers your chest and which has straps going over your shoulders. [AM ] □ An elderly man dressed in faded overalls took the witness stand. in BRIT, use dungarees 4 N‑COUNT An overall is a piece of clothing shaped like a coat that you wear over your clothes in order to protect them while you are working. [BRIT ] SYNONYMS overall ADJ 1
total: The total cost of the project would be more than $240 million.
general: The figures represent a general decline in employment.
o ver|all ma|jo r|ity (overall majorities ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] If a political party wins an overall majority in an election or vote, they get more votes than the total number of votes or seats won by all their opponents.
over|arch|ing /oʊ vərɑː r tʃ I ŋ/ ADJ [ADJ n] You use overarching to indicate that you are talking about something that includes or affects everything or everyone. [FORMAL ] □ The overarching question seems to be what happens when the U.S. pulls out?
over|arm /oʊ vərɑː r m/ ADJ [ADJ n] You use overarm to describe actions, such as throwing a ball, in which you stretch your arm over your shoulder. □ …a single overarm stroke.
over|awe /oʊ vərɔː / (overawes , overawing , overawed ) VERB [usu passive] If you are overawed by something or someone, you are very impressed by them and a little afraid of them. □ [be V -ed] Don't be overawed by people in authority, however important they are. ● over|awed ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] □ Benjamin said that he had been rather overawed to meet one of the Billington family.
over|bal|ance /oʊ və r bæ ləns/ (overbalances , overbalancing , overbalanced ) VERB If you overbalance , you fall over or nearly fall over, because you are not standing properly. □ [V ] He overbalanced and fell head first.
over|bear|ing /oʊ və r beə r I ŋ/ ADJ An overbearing person tries to make other people do what he or she wants in an unpleasant and forceful way. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [+ with ] He can be quite overbearing with his staff.
over|blown /oʊ və r bloʊ n/ ADJ Something that is overblown makes something seem larger, more important, or more significant than it really is. □ Warnings of disaster may be overblown. □ The reporting of the hostage story was fair, if sometimes overblown.
over|board /oʊ və r bɔː r d/
1 ADV [ADV after v] If you fall overboard , you fall over the side of a boat into the water. □ His sailing instructor fell overboard and drowned during a lesson.
2 PHRASE If you say that someone goes overboard , you mean that they do something to a greater extent than is necessary or reasonable. [INFORMAL ] □ Women sometimes damage their skin by going overboard with abrasive cleansers.
3 PHRASE If you throw something overboard , for example an idea or suggestion, you reject it completely. □ They had thrown their neutrality overboard in the crisis.
over|book /oʊ və r bʊ k/ (overbooks , overbooking , overbooked ) VERB If an organization such as an airline or a theatre company overbooks , they sell more tickets than they have places for. □ [V ] Planes are crowded, airlines overbook, and departures are almost never on time. [Also V n]
over|booked /oʊ və r bʊ kt/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If something such as a hotel, bus, or aircraft is overbooked , more people have booked than the number of places that are available. □ Sorry, the plane is overbooked.
over|bur|dened /oʊ və r bɜː r d ə nd/
1 ADJ If a system or organization is overburdened , it has too many people or things to deal with and so does not function properly. □ [+ by ] The city's hospitals are overburdened by casualties. □ …an overburdened air traffic control system. [Also + with ]
2 ADJ If you are overburdened with something such as work or problems, you have more of it than you can cope with. □ [+ with ] The Chief Inspector disliked being overburdened with insignificant detail. □ …overburdened teachers. [Also + by ]
over|came /oʊ və r ke I m/ Overcame is the past tense of overcome .
over|ca|pac|ity /oʊvə r kəpæ s I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT If there is overcapacity in a particular industry or area, more goods have been produced than are needed, and the industry is therefore less profitable than it could be. [BUSINESS ] □ There is huge overcapacity in the world car industry.
over|cast /oʊ və r kɑː st, -kæ st/ ADJ If it is overcast , or if the sky or the day is overcast , the sky is completely covered with cloud and there is not much light. □ For three days it was overcast. □ The weather forecast is for showers and overcast skies.
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.
over|em|pha|sis /oʊ vəre mfəs I s/ N‑SING If you say that there is an overemphasis on a particular thing, you mean that more importance or attention is given to it than is necessary. □ [+ on ] He attributed the party's lack of success to an overemphasis on ideology and ideas.
over|em|pha|size /oʊ vəre mfəsa I z/ (overemphasizes , overemphasizing , overemphasized ) in BRIT, also use overemphasise 1 VERB If you say that someone overemphasizes something, you mean that they give it more importance than it deserves or than you consider appropriate. □ [V n] Of particular importance was Marx's tendency to overemphasize economic conflict.
2 VERB If you say that something cannot be overemphasized , you are emphasizing that you think it is very important. [EMPHASIS ] □ [be V -ed] The importance of education cannot be overemphasised. □ [V n] I can't overemphasize the cleanliness of this place.
over|es|ti|mate (overestimates , overestimating , overestimated ) The verb is pronounced /oʊ vəre st I me I t/. The noun is pronounced /oʊ vəre st I mət/. 1 VERB If you say that someone overestimates something, you mean that they think it is greater in amount or importance than it really is. □ [V n] With hindsight, he was overestimating their desire for peace. [Also V ] ● N‑COUNT Overestimate is also a noun. □ I suspect the figures could be an overestimate. ● over|es|ti|ma|tion /oʊ və r est I me I ʃ ə n/ N‑SING □ [+ of ] …excessive overestimation of one's own importance.
2 VERB If you say that something cannot be overestimated , you are emphasizing that you think it is very important. [EMPHASIS ] □ [be V -ed] The importance of participating in the life of the country cannot be overestimated. □ [V n] It is hard to overestimate the potential gains from this process.
3 VERB If you overestimate someone, you think that they have more of a skill or quality than they really have. □ [V n] I think you overestimate me, Fred.
o ver-exci ted also overexcited ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you say that someone is over-excited , you mean that they are more excited than you think is desirable. □ You'll need to provide continuous, organised entertainment or children may get over-excited.
over|ex|posed /oʊ vər I kspoʊ zd/ ADJ An overexposed photograph is of poor quality because the film has been exposed to too much light, either when the photograph was taken or during the developing process.
over|ex|tend|ed /oʊ vər I kste nd I d/ ADJ If a person or organization is overextended , they have become involved in more activities than they can financially or physically manage. □ The British East India Tea Company was overextended and faced bankruptcy.
over|flight /oʊ və r fla I t/ (overflights ) N‑VAR An overflight is the passage of an aircraft from one country over another country's territory. □ Nations react strongly to unauthorized overflights.
over|flow (overflows , overflowing , overflowed ) The verb is pronounced /oʊ və r floʊ /. The noun is pronounced /oʊ və r floʊ/. 1 VERB [no passive] If a liquid or a river overflows , it flows over the edges of the container or place it is in. □ [V ] Pour in some of the syrup, but not all of it, as it will probably overflow. □ [V n] Rivers and streams have overflowed their banks in countless places.
2 VERB [usu cont] If a place or container is overflowing with people or things, it is too full of them. □ [V + with ] The great hall was overflowing with people. □ [V ] Jails and temporary detention camps are overflowing.
3 N‑COUNT The overflow is the extra people or things that something cannot contain or deal with because it is not large enough. □ Tents have been set up next to hospitals to handle the overflow.
4 N‑COUNT An overflow is a hole or pipe through which liquid can flow out of a container when it gets too full.
5 PHRASE If a place or container is filled to overflowing , it is so full of people or things that no more can fit in. □ The kitchen garden was full to overflowing with fresh vegetables.
over|fly /oʊ və r fla I / (overflies , overflying , overflew , overflown ) VERB When an aircraft overflies an area, it flies over it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] He obtained permission to overfly and photograph the coasts of Spain.
over|ground The adjective is pronounced /oʊ və r graʊnd/. The adverb is pronounced /oʊ və r graʊ nd/. ADJ [ADJ n] In an overground transport system, vehicles run on the surface of the ground, rather than below it. [BRIT ] □ Bus routes and railways, both overground and underground, converged on the station. ● ADV [ADV after v] Overground is also an adverb. □ There are plans to run the line overground close to the village of Boxley.
over|grown /oʊ və r groʊ n/
1 ADJ If a garden or other place is overgrown , it is covered with a lot of untidy plants because it has not been looked after. □ [+ with ] We hurried on until we reached a courtyard overgrown with weeds.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] If you describe an adult as an overgrown child, you mean that their behaviour and attitudes are like those of a child, and that you dislike this. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ …a bunch of overgrown kids.
over|hang (overhangs , overhanging , overhung ) The verb is pronounced /oʊ və r hæ ŋ/. The noun is pronounced /oʊ və r hæŋ/. 1 VERB If one thing overhangs another, it sticks out over and above it. □ [V n] Part of the rock wall overhung the path at one point.
2 N‑COUNT An overhang is the part of something that sticks out over and above something else. □ [+ of ] A sharp overhang of rock gave them cover.
over|haul (overhauls , overhauling , overhauled ) The verb is pronounced /oʊ və r hɔː l/. The noun is pronounced /oʊ və r hɔːl/. 1 VERB [usu passive] If a piece of equipment is overhauled , it is cleaned, checked thoroughly, and repaired if necessary. □ [be V -ed] They had ensured the plumbing was overhauled a year ago. □ [have n V -ed] Our car was towed away to have its suspension overhauled. ● N‑COUNT Overhaul is also a noun. □ …the overhaul of aero engines.
2 VERB If you overhaul a system or method, you examine it carefully and make many changes in it in order to improve it. □ [V n] The government said it wanted to overhaul the employment training scheme. ● N‑COUNT Overhaul is also a noun. □ [+ of ] The study says there must be a complete overhaul of air traffic control systems.
over|head The adjective is pronounced /oʊ və r hed/. The adverb is pronounced /oʊ və r he d/. ADJ [ADJ n] You use overhead to indicate that something is above you or above the place that you are talking about. □ She turned on the overhead light and looked around the little room. ● ADV [ADV after v, oft be ADV ] Overhead is also an adverb. □ …planes passing overhead.
o ver|head pro|je c|tor (overhead projectors ) N‑COUNT An overhead projector is a machine that has a light inside it and can be used to make the writing or pictures on a sheet of plastic appear on a screen or wall. The abbreviation OHP is also used.
over|heads /oʊ və r hedz/ N‑PLURAL The overheads of a business are its regular and essential expenses, such as salaries, rent, electricity, and phone bills. [BUSINESS ] □ We are having to cut our costs to reduce overheads and remain competitive.
over|hear /oʊ və r h I ə r / (overhears , overhearing , overheard ) VERB If you overhear someone, you hear what they are saying when they are not talking to you and they do not know that you are listening. □ [V n] I overheard two doctors discussing my case.
over|heat /oʊ və r hiː t/ (overheats , overheating , overheated )
1 VERB If something overheats or if you overheat it, it becomes hotter than is necessary or desirable. □ [V ] The engine was overheating and the car was not handling well. □ [V n] Why do we pay to overheat pubs and hotels? ● over|heat|ed ADJ □ …that stuffy, overheated apartment.
2 VERB If a country's economy overheats or if conditions overheat it, it grows so rapidly that inflation and interest rates rise very quickly. [BUSINESS ] □ [V ] The private sector is increasing its spending so sharply that the economy is overheating. □ [V n] Their prime consideration has been not to overheat the economy. ● over|heat|ed ADJ □ …the disastrous consequences of an overheated market.
over|heat|ed /oʊ və r hiː t I d/ ADJ Someone who is overheated is very angry about something. □ I think the reaction has been a little overheated.
over|hung /oʊ və r hʌ ŋ/ Overhung is the past tense and past participle of overhang .
over|in|dulge /oʊ vər I ndʌ ldʒ/ (overindulges , overindulging , overindulged ) VERB If you overindulge , or overindulge in something that you like very much, usually food or drink, you allow yourself to have more of it than is good for you. □ [V ] We all overindulge occasionally. □ [V + in ] The urge to overindulge in food is powerful.
over|joyed /oʊ və r dʒɔ I d/ ADJ [v-link ADJ , oft ADJ to-inf] If you are overjoyed , you are extremely pleased about something. □ Shelley was overjoyed to see me. □ [+ at ] He was overjoyed at his son's return.
over|kill /oʊ və r k I l/ N‑UNCOUNT You can say that something is overkill when you think that there is more of it than is necessary or appropriate. □ Such security measures may well be overkill.
over|land /oʊ və r lænd/ ADJ [ADJ n] An overland journey is made across land rather than by ship or aeroplane. □ …an overland journey through Iraq, Turkey, Iran and Pakistan. □ The overland route is across some really tough mountains. ● ADV [ADV after v] Overland is also an adverb. □ They're travelling to Baghdad overland.
over|lap (overlaps , overlapping , overlapped ) The verb is pronounced /oʊ və r læ p/. The noun is pronounced /oʊ və r læp/. 1 VERB If one thing overlaps another, or if you overlap them, a part of the first thing occupies the same area as a part of the other thing. You can also say that two things overlap . □ [V n] When the bag is folded flat, the bag bottom overlaps one side of the bag. □ [V n] Overlap the slices carefully so there are no gaps. □ [V ] Use vinyl seam adhesive where vinyls overlap. □ [V n] The edges must overlap each other or weeds will push through the gaps.
2 VERB If one idea or activity overlaps another, or overlaps with another, they involve some of the same subjects, people, or periods of time. □ [V n] Elizabeth met other Oxford intellectuals, some of whom overlapped Naomi's world. □ [V + with ] Christian Holy Week overlaps with the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover. □ [V ] The needs of patients invariably overlap. ● N‑VAR Overlap is also a noun. □ [+ between ] …the overlap between civil and military technology.
over|lay /oʊ və r le I / (overlays , overlaying , overlaid )
1 VERB [usu passive] If something is overlaid with something else, it is covered by it. □ [be V -ed + with ] The floor was overlaid with rugs of oriental design.
2 VERB If something is overlaid with a feeling or quality, that feeling or quality is the most noticeable one, but there may be deeper and more important ones involved. [WRITTEN ] □ [be V -ed + with ] The party had been overlaid with a certain nervousness. □ [V n] …a surge of feeling which at this moment overlaid all others.
over|leaf /oʊ və r liː f/ ADV [n ADV , oft ADV after v] Overleaf is used in books and magazines to say that something is on the other side of the page you are reading. □ Answer the questionnaire overleaf.
over|load (overloads , overloading , overloaded ) The verb is pronounced /oʊ və r loʊ d/. The noun is pronounced /oʊ və r loʊd/. 1 VERB If you overload something such as a vehicle, you put more things or people into it than it was designed to carry. □ [V n] Don't overload the boat or it will sink. □ [V n] Large meals overload the digestive system. ● over|load|ed ADJ □ Some trains were so overloaded that their suspension collapsed.
2 VERB To overload someone with work, problems, or information means to give them more work, problems, or information than they can cope with. □ [V n + with ] …an effective method that will not overload staff with yet more paperwork. ● N‑UNCOUNT Overload is also a noun. □ 57 per cent complained of work overload. □ The greatest danger is that we simply create information overload for our executives. ● over|load|ed ADJ □ The bar waiter was already overloaded with orders.
3 VERB If you overload an electrical system, you cause too much electricity to flow through it, and so damage it. □ [V n] Never overload an electrical socket.
over|look /oʊ və r lʊ k/ (overlooks , overlooking , overlooked )
1 VERB If a building or window overlooks a place, you can see the place clearly from the building or window. □ [V n] Pretty and comfortable rooms overlook a flower-filled garden.
2 VERB If you overlook a fact or problem, you do not notice it, or do not realize how important it is. □ [V n] We overlook all sorts of warning signals about our own health.
3 VERB If you overlook someone's faults or bad behaviour, you forgive them and take no action. □ [V n] …satisfying relationships that enable them to overlook each other's faults.
over|lord /oʊ və r lɔː r d/ (overlords )
1 N‑COUNT If you refer to someone as an overlord , you mean that they have great power and are likely to use it in a bad way. [WRITTEN ] □ [+ of ] They hosted a mega-event to reflect their status as the overlords of entertainment. □ The running of Welsh rugby was left in chaos yesterday after a vote of no confidence in the game's overlords.
2 N‑COUNT In former times, an overlord was someone who had power over many people. □ Henry II was the first king to be recognized as overlord of Ireland.
over|ly /oʊ və r li/ ADV Overly means more than is normal, necessary, or reasonable. □ Employers may become overly cautious about taking on new staff.
over|manned /oʊ və r mæ nd/ ADJ If you say that a place or an industry is overmanned , you mean that you think there are more people working there or doing the work than is necessary. □ Many factories were chronically overmanned.
over|man|ning /oʊ və r mæ n I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT If there is a problem of overmanning in an industry, there are more people working there or doing the work than is necessary.
over|much /oʊ və r mʌ tʃ/ ADV [usu ADV after v, oft ADV -ed] If something happens overmuch , it happens too much or very much. [FORMAL ] □ He was not a man who thought overmuch about clothes.
over|night ◆◇◇ /oʊ və r na I t/ (overnights , overnighting , overnighted )
1 ADV [ADV after v] If something happens overnight , it happens throughout the night or at some point during the night. □ The decision was reached overnight. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Overnight is also an adjective. □ Travel and overnight accommodation are included.
2 ADV [ADV after v] You can say that something happens overnight when it happens very quickly and unexpectedly. □ The rules are not going to change overnight. □ Almost overnight, she had aged ten years and become fat. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Overnight is also an adjective. □ In 1970 he became an overnight success in America.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] Overnight bags or clothes are ones that you take when you go and stay somewhere for one or two nights. □ He realized he'd left his overnight bag at Mary's house.
4 VERB If you overnight somewhere, you spend the night there. □ [V prep/adv] They had told her she would be overnighting in Sydney. ● N‑COUNT Overnight is also a noun. □ Overnights can be arranged.
over|paid /oʊ və r pe I d/
1 ADJ If you say that someone is overpaid , you mean that you think they are paid more than they deserve for the work they do. □ …grossly overpaid corporate lawyers.
2 → see also overpay
over|pass /oʊ və r pɑːs, -pæs/ (overpasses ) N‑COUNT An overpass is a structure which carries one road over the top of another one. [mainly AM ] □ …a $16 million highway overpass over Route 1. in BRIT, usually use flyover
over|pay /oʊ və r pe I / (overpays , overpaying , overpaid )
1 VERB If you overpay someone, or if you overpay for something, you pay more than is necessary or reasonable. □ [V n] Management has to make sure it does not overpay its staff. □ [V + for ] The council is said to have been overpaying for repairs made by its housing department. □ [V n] The scheme will overpay some lawyers and underpay others. [Also V , V n to-inf]
2 → see also overpaid
over|play /oʊ və r ple I / (overplays , overplaying , overplayed )
1 VERB If you say that someone is overplaying something such as a problem, you mean that they are making it seem more important than it really is. □ [be V -ed] I think the historical factor is overplayed, that it really doesn't mean much.
2 PHRASE If someone overplays their hand , they act more confidently than they should because they believe that they are in a stronger position than they actually are. □ The United States has to be careful it doesn't overplay its hand.
over|popu|lat|ed /oʊ və r pɒ pjʊle I t I d/ ADJ If an area is overpopulated , there are problems because it has too many people living there. □ Environmentalists say Australia is already overpopulated.
over|popu|la|tion /oʊ və r pɒpjʊle I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT If there is a problem of overpopulation in an area, there are more people living there than can be supported properly. □ [+ in ] …young persons who are concerned about overpopulation in the world.
over|pow|er /oʊ və r paʊ ə r / (overpowers , overpowering , overpowered )
1 VERB If you overpower someone, you manage to take hold of and keep hold of them, although they struggle a lot. □ [V n] It took ten guardsmen to overpower him.
2 VERB If a feeling overpowers you, it suddenly affects you very strongly. □ [V n] A sudden dizziness overpowered him.
3 VERB In a sports match, when one team or player overpowers the other, they play much better than them and beat them easily. □ [V n] His team overpowered Scotland 38–18.
4 VERB If something such as a colour or flavour overpowers another colour or flavour, it is so strong that it makes the second one less noticeable. □ [V n] On fair skin, pale shades are delicate enough not to overpower your colouring.
over|pow|er|ing /oʊ və r paʊ ər I ŋ/
1 ADJ An overpowering feeling is so strong that you cannot resist it. □ …hard, cold, overpowering anger. □ The desire for revenge can be overpowering.
2 ADJ An overpowering smell or sound is so strong that you cannot smell or hear anything else. □ There was an overpowering smell of petrol.
3 ADJ An overpowering person makes other people feel uncomfortable because they have such a strong personality. □ Mrs Winter was large and somewhat overpowering.
over|priced /oʊ və r pra I st/ ADJ If you say that something is overpriced , you mean that you think it costs much more than it should. □ Any property which does not sell within six weeks is overpriced.
over|ran /oʊ və r ræ n/ Overran is the past tense of overrun .
over|rate /oʊ və r re I t/ (overrates , overrating , overrated ) also over-rate VERB If you say that something or someone is overrated , you mean that people have a higher opinion of them than they deserve. □ [be V -ed] More men are finding out that the joys of work have been overrated. □ [V n] If you consider him a miracle man, you're overrating him. ● over|rat|ed ADJ □ Life in the wild is vastly overrated.
over|reach /oʊ və r riː tʃ/ (overreaches , overreaching , overreached ) also over-reach VERB If you say that someone overreaches themselves , you mean that they fail at something because they are trying to do more than they are able to. □ [V pron-refl] The company had overreached itself and made unwise investments.
over|react /oʊ və r riæ kt/ (overreacts , overreacting , overreacted ) also over-react VERB If you say that someone overreacts to something, you mean that they have and show more of an emotion than is necessary or appropriate. □ [V ] Is the council right to be concerned, or is it overreacting? □ [V + to ] I overreact to anything sad. ● over|reac|tion /oʊ və r riæ kʃ ə n/ (overreactions ) N‑VAR □ This is actually an outrageous overreaction.
over|ride (overrides , overriding , overrode , overridden ) also over-ride The verb is pronounced /oʊ və r ra I d/. The noun is pronounced /oʊ və r ra I d/. 1 VERB If one thing in a situation overrides other things, it is more important than them. □ [V n] The welfare of a child should always override the wishes of its parents.
2 VERB If someone in authority overrides a person or their decisions, they cancel their decisions. □ [V n] The president vetoed the bill, and the Senate failed by a single vote to override his veto.
3 N‑COUNT An override is an attempt to cancel someone's decisions by using your authority over them or by gaining more votes than them in an election or contest. [AM ] □ The bill now goes to the House where an override vote is expected to fail.
over|rid|ing /oʊ və r ra I d I ŋ/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] In a particular situation, the overriding factor is the one that is the most important. □ My overriding concern is to raise the standards of state education.
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.
international: …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.
over|sim|pli|fy /oʊ və r s I mpl I fa I / (oversimplifies , oversimplifying , oversimplified ) VERB If you say that someone is oversimplifying something, you mean that they are describing or explaining it so simply that what they say is no longer true or reasonable. □ [V n] One should not oversimplify the situation. ● over|sim|pli|fied ADJ [usu ADJ n] □ …an oversimplified view of mathematics and the sciences. ● over|sim|pli|fi|ca|tion /oʊ və r s I mpl I f I ke I ʃ ə n/ (oversimplifications ) N‑VAR □ There is an old saying that 'we are what we eat'. Obviously this is an oversimplification.
over|size /oʊ və r sa I z/ also oversized ADJ [usu ADJ n] Oversize or oversized things are too big, or much bigger than usual. □ …the oversize white sweater she had worn at school. □ …an oversized bed.
over|sleep /oʊ və r sliː p/ (oversleeps , oversleeping , overslept ) VERB If you oversleep , you sleep longer than you should have done. □ [V ] I'm really sorry I'm late, Andrew. I forgot to set my alarm and I overslept.
over|spend (overspends , overspending , overspent ) The verb is pronounced /oʊ və r spe nd/. The noun is pronounced /oʊ və r spend/. 1 VERB If you overspend , you spend more money than you can afford to. □ [V + on ] Don't overspend on your home and expect to get the money back when you sell. □ [V + by ] I overspent by £1 on your shopping so I'm afraid you owe me. □ [V ] He argued that local councils which overspend should be forced to face fresh elections.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If an organization or business has an overspend , it spends more money than was planned or allowed in its budget. [BRIT , BUSINESS ] □ Efforts are under way to avoid a £800,000 overspend. in AM, use overrun
over|spill /oʊ və r sp I l/
1 N‑VAR [oft a N , oft N n] Overspill is used to refer to people who live near a city because there is no room in the city itself. [BRIT ] □ [+ from ] …new towns built to absorb overspill from nearby cities.
2 N‑VAR [oft a N ] You can use overspill to refer to things or people which there is no room for in the usual place because it is full. □ With the best seats taken, it was ruled that the overspill could stand at the back of the court.
over|staffed /oʊ və r stɑː ft, -stæ ft/ ADJ If you say that a place is overstaffed , you think there are more people working there than is necessary. □ Many workers believe the factory is overstaffed.
over|state /oʊ və r ste I t/ (overstates , overstating , overstated ) VERB If you say that someone is overstating something, you mean they are describing it in a way that makes it seem more important or serious than it really is. □ [V n] The authors no doubt overstated their case with a view to catching the public's attention.
over|state|ment /oʊ və r ste I tmənt/ (overstatements ) N‑VAR If you refer to the way something is described is an overstatement , you mean it is described in a way that makes it seem more important or serious than it really is. □ This may have been an improvement, but 'breakthrough' was an overstatement.
over|stay /oʊ və r ste I / (overstays , overstaying , overstayed )
1 VERB [no passive] If you overstay your time, you stay somewhere for longer than you should. □ [V n] Up to forty per cent of the students had overstayed their visas. [Also V ]
2 to overstay your welcome → see welcome
over|step /oʊ və r ste p/ (oversteps , overstepping , overstepped ) VERB If you say that someone oversteps the limits of a system or situation, you mean that they do something that is not allowed or is not acceptable. □ [V n] The Commission is sensitive to accusations that it is overstepping its authority. ● PHRASE If someone oversteps the mark , they behave in a way that is considered unacceptable. □ He overstepped the mark and we had no option but to suspend him.
over|stretch /oʊ və r stre tʃ/ (overstretches , overstretching , overstretched ) VERB If you overstretch something or someone or if they overstretch , you force them to do something they are not really capable of, and they may be harmed as a result. □ [V n] He claimed that the operation would overstretch resources. □ [V pron-refl] Do what you know you can do well and don't overstretch yourself. □ [V ] Never force your legs to overstretch, or you can cause injuries.
over|stretched /oʊ və r stre tʃt/ ADJ If a system or organization is overstretched , it is being forced to work more than it is supposed to. □ Analysts fear the overstretched air traffic control system could reach breaking point.
over|sub|scribed /oʊ və r səbskra I bd/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If something such as an event or a service is oversubscribed , too many people apply to attend the event or use the service. □ The popular schools tend to be heavily oversubscribed.
overt /oʊ vɜː r t/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] An overt action or attitude is done or shown in an open and obvious way. □ Although there is no overt hostility, black and white students do not mix much. ● overt|ly ADV [usu ADV adj] □ He's written a few overtly political lyrics over the years.
over|take /oʊ və r te I k/ (overtakes , overtaking , overtook , overtaken )
1 VERB If you overtake a vehicle or a person that is ahead of you and moving in the same direction, you pass them. [mainly BRIT ] □ [V n] When he eventually overtook the last truck, he pulled over to the inside lane. □ [V ] The red car was pulling out ready to overtake. in AM, usually use pass 2 VERB If someone or something overtakes a competitor, they become more successful than them. □ [V n] The coffee chain has overtaken its US rival.
3 VERB If an event overtakes you, it happens unexpectedly or suddenly. □ [V n] Tragedy was shortly to overtake him, however.
4 VERB If a feeling overtakes you, it affects you very strongly. [LITERARY ] □ [V n] Something like panic overtook me.
over|tax /oʊ və r tæ ks/ (overtaxes , overtaxing , overtaxed )
1 VERB If you overtax someone or something, you force them to work harder than they can really manage, and may do them harm as a result. □ [V n] …a contralto who has overtaxed her voice.
2 VERB If you say that a government is overtaxing its people, you mean that it is making them pay more tax than you think they should pay. □ [V n] You can't help Britain by overtaxing its people.
o ver-the-cou nter → see counter
o ver-the-to p → see top
over|think /əʊ və r θ I ŋk/ (overthinks , overthinking , overthought ) VERB If you overthink , or if you overthink a problem, you spend too much time thinking about something. □ You overthink things and start worrying.
over|throw (overthrows , overthrowing , overthrew , overthrown ) The verb is pronounced /oʊ və r θroʊ /. The noun is pronounced /oʊ və r θroʊ/. VERB When a government or leader is overthrown , they are removed from power by force. □ [be V -ed] That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago. □ [V n] …an attempt to overthrow the president. ● N‑SING Overthrow is also a noun. □ [+ of ] They were charged with plotting the overthrow of the state.
over|time /oʊ və r ta I m/
1 N‑UNCOUNT Overtime is time that you spend doing your job in addition to your normal working hours. □ He would work overtime, without pay, to finish a job.
2 PHRASE If you say that someone is working overtime to do something, you mean that they are using a lot of energy, effort, or enthusiasm trying to do it. [INFORMAL ] □ We had to battle very hard and our defence worked overtime to keep us in the game.
3 N‑UNCOUNT Overtime is an additional period of time that is added to the end of a sports match in which the two teams are level, as a way of allowing one of the teams to win. [AM ] □ They won the championship by defeating their opponents 3–2 in overtime. in BRIT, use extra time
over|tired /oʊ və r tai ə r d/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you are overtired , you are so tired that you feel unhappy or bad-tempered, or feel that you cannot do things properly.
over|tone /oʊ və r toʊn/ (overtones ) N‑COUNT [usu pl] If something has overtones of a particular thing or quality, it suggests that thing or quality but does not openly express it. □ It's a quite profound story, with powerful religious overtones.
over|took /oʊ və r tʊ k/ Overtook is the past tense of overtake .
over|ture /oʊ və r tʃʊə r / (overtures )
1 N‑COUNT An overture is a piece of music, often one that is the introduction to an opera or play. □ [+ to ] The programme opened with the overture to Wagner's Flying Dutchman.
2 N‑COUNT [usu pl] If you make overtures to someone, you behave in a friendly or romantic way towards them. □ [+ of ] He had lately begun to make clumsy yet endearing overtures of friendship.
over|turn /oʊ və r tɜː r n/ (overturns , overturning , overturned )
1 VERB If something overturns or if you overturn it, it turns upside down or on its side. □ [V ] The lorry veered out of control, overturned and smashed into a wall. □ [V n] Alex jumped up so violently that he overturned his glass of sherry. □ [V -ed] …a battered overturned boat.
2 VERB If someone in authority overturns a legal decision, they officially decide that that decision is incorrect or not valid. □ [V n] His nine-month sentence was overturned by Appeal Court judge Lord Justice Watkins.
3 VERB To overturn a government or system means to remove it or destroy it. □ [V n] He accused his opponents of wanting to overturn the government.
over|use (overuses , overusing , overused ) The verb is pronounced /oʊ və r juː z/. The noun is pronounced /oʊ və r juː s/. 1 VERB If someone overuses something, they use more of it than necessary, or use it more often than necessary. □ [V n] Don't overuse heated appliances on your hair. ● N‑UNCOUNT Overuse is also a noun. □ Supplies are under increasing threat from overuse and pollution.
2 VERB If you say that people overuse a word or idea, you mean that they use it so often that it no longer has any real meaning or effect. □ [V n] Which words or phrases do you most overuse? ● over|used ADJ □ 'Just Do It' has become one of the most overused catch phrases in recent memory.
over|value /oʊ və r væ ljuː/ (overvalues , overvaluing , overvalued ) VERB To overvalue something, often a cost or rate of exchange, means to fix its value at too high a level compared with other similar things. □ [V n] …a rate which does not overvalue the pound. □ [be V -ed] Many, perhaps all, Internet stocks are hugely overvalued. ● over|valu|ation /oʊ və r væljue I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] These problems were aggravated by the overvaluation of the pound. ● over|valued ADJ □ It still can be argued that Japanese shares are overvalued in terms of the return they offer.
over|view /oʊ və r vjuː/ (overviews ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] An overview of a situation is a general understanding or description of it as a whole. □ [+ of ] The central section of the book is a historical overview of drug use.
over|ween|ing /oʊ və r wiː n I ŋ/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you want to emphasize your disapproval of someone's great ambition or pride, you can refer to their overweening ambition or pride. [FORMAL , DISAPPROVAL ] □ 'Your modesty is a cover for your overweening conceit,' she said.
over|weight /oʊ və r we I t/ ADJ Someone who is overweight weighs more than is considered healthy or attractive. □ Being even moderately overweight increases your risk of developing high blood pressure.
over|whelm /oʊ və r h we lm/ (overwhelms , overwhelming , overwhelmed )
1 VERB If you are overwhelmed by a feeling or event, it affects you very strongly, and you do not know how to deal with it. □ [be V -ed] He was overwhelmed by a longing for times past. □ [V n] The need to talk to someone, anyone, overwhelmed her. ● over|whelmed ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] □ [+ by ] Sightseers may be a little overwhelmed by the crowds and noise.
2 VERB If a group of people overwhelm a place or another group, they gain complete control or victory over them. □ [V n] It was clear that one massive Allied offensive would overwhelm the weakened enemy.
over|whelm|ing ◆◇◇ /oʊ və r h we lm I ŋ/
1 ADJ If something is overwhelming , it affects you very strongly, and you do not know how to deal with it. □ The task won't feel so overwhelming if you break it down into small, easy-to-accomplish steps. □ She felt an overwhelming desire to have another child. ● over|whelm|ing|ly ADV [ADV adj] □ …the overwhelmingly strange medieval city of Fès.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] You can use overwhelming to emphasize that an amount or quantity is much greater than other amounts or quantities. [EMPHASIS ] □ The overwhelming majority of small businesses go broke within the first twenty-four months. □ The vote was overwhelming–283 in favour, and only twenty-nine against. ● over|whelm|ing|ly ADV [usu ADV with v, oft ADV adj] □ The House of Commons has overwhelmingly rejected calls to bring back the death penalty for murder.
over|work /oʊ və r wɜː r k/ (overworks , overworking , overworked ) VERB If you overwork or if someone overworks you, you work too hard, and are likely to become very tired or ill. □ [V ] He's overworking and has got a lot on his mind. □ [V n] He overworks and underpays the poor clerk whom he employs. ● N‑UNCOUNT Overwork is also a noun. □ He died of a heart attack brought on by overwork. ● over|worked ADJ □ …an overworked doctor.
over|worked /oʊ və r wɜː r kt/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe a word, expression, or idea as overworked , you mean it has been used so often that it no longer has much effect or meaning. □ 'Ecological' has become one of the most overworked adjectives.
over|wrought /oʊ və r rɔː t/ ADJ Someone who is overwrought is very upset and is behaving in an uncontrolled way. □ One overwrought member had to be restrained by friends.
ovu|late /ɒ vjʊle I t/ (ovulates , ovulating , ovulated ) VERB When a woman or female animal ovulates , an egg is produced from one of her ovaries. □ [V ] Some girls may first ovulate even before they menstruate. ● ovu|la|tion /ɒ vjʊle I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT □ By noticing these changes, the woman can tell when ovulation is about to occur.
ovum /oʊ vəm/ (ova ) N‑COUNT An ovum is one of the eggs of a woman or female animal. [TECHNICAL ]
ow /aʊ / EXCLAM ' Ow! ' is used in writing to represent the noise that people make when they suddenly feel pain. □ Ow! Don't do that!
owe ◆◇◇ /oʊ / (owes , owing , owed )
1 VERB If you owe money to someone, they have lent it to you and you have not yet paid it back. You can also say that the money is owing . □ [V n + to ] The company owes money to more than 60 banks. □ [V n n] Blake already owed him nearly £50. □ [V n] I'm broke, Livy, and I owe a couple of million dollars. □ [V ] He could take what was owing for the rent.
2 VERB [no passive] If someone or something owes a particular quality or their success to a person or thing, they only have it because of that person or thing. □ [V n + to ] He owed his survival to his strength as a swimmer. □ [V n n] I owe him my life.
3 VERB If you say that you owe a great deal to someone or something, you mean that they have helped you or influenced you a lot, and you feel very grateful to them. □ [V n to ] As a professional composer, I owe much to Radio 3. □ [V n n] He's been fantastic. I owe him a lot.
4 VERB If you say that something owes a great deal to a person or thing, you mean that it exists, is successful, or has its particular form mainly because of them. □ [V n to ] She is the first to admit that her career path owes a lot to good fortune.
5 VERB If you say that you owe someone gratitude, respect, or loyalty, you mean that they deserve it from you. [FORMAL ] □ [V n n] Perhaps we owe these people more respect. □ [V n n] I owe you an apology. You must have found my attitude very annoying. □ [V n + to ] I owe a big debt of gratitude to her.
6 VERB [no passive] If you say that you owe it to someone to do something, you mean that you should do that thing because they deserve it. □ I can't go. I owe it to him to stay. □ You owe it to yourself to get some professional help. □ Of course she would have to send a letter; she owed it to the family.
7 PHRASE You use owing to when you are introducing the reason for something. □ Owing to staff shortages, there was no restaurant car on the train.
owl /aʊ l/ (owls )
1 N‑COUNT An owl is a bird with a flat face, large eyes, and a small sharp beak. Most owls obtain their food by hunting small animals at night.
2 → see also night owl
owl|ish /aʊ l I ʃ/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] An owlish person looks rather like an owl, especially because they wear glasses, and seems to be very serious and clever. □ With his owlish face, it is easy to understand why he was called 'The Professor'.
own ◆◆◆ /oʊ n/ (owns , owning , owned )
1 ADJ You use own to indicate that something belongs to a particular person or thing. □ Helen decided I should have my own shop. □ He could no longer trust his own judgement. □ His office had its own private entrance. ● PRON Own is also a pronoun. □ He saw the Major's face a few inches from his own.
2 ADJ You use own to indicate that something is used by, or is characteristic of, only one person, thing, or group. □ Jennifer insisted on her own room. □ I let her tell me about it in her own way. □ Each nation has its own peculiarities when it comes to doing business. ● PRON Own is also a pronoun. □ This young lady has a sense of style that is very much her own.
3 ADJ You use own to indicate that someone does something without any help from other people. □ They enjoy making their own decisions. □ He'll have to make his own arrangements. ● PRON Own is also a pronoun. □ There's no career structure, you have to create your own.
4 VERB If you own something, it is your property. □ [V n] His father owns a local pub.
5 VERB If you own someone, you completely defeat them in a game, competition, or argument. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n] I just totally owned you.
6 PHRASE If you have something you can call your own , it belongs only to you, rather than being controlled by or shared with someone else. □ I would like a place I could call my own.
7 PHRASE If someone or something comes into their own , they become very successful or start to perform very well because the circumstances are right. □ The goalkeeper came into his own with a series of brilliant saves.
8 PHRASE If you get your own back on someone, you have your revenge on them because of something bad that they have done to you. [mainly BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ Renshaw reveals 20 bizarre ways in which women have got their own back on former loved ones.
9 PHRASE If you say that someone has a particular thing of their own , you mean that that thing belongs or relates to them, rather than to other people. □ He set out in search of ideas for starting a company of his own.
10 PHRASE If someone or something has a particular quality or characteristic of their own , that quality or characteristic is especially theirs, rather than being shared by other things or people of that type. □ The cries of the seagulls gave this part of the harbour a fascinating character all of its own.
11 PHRASE When you are on your own , you are alone. □ He lives on his own. □ I told him how scared I was of being on my own.
12 PHRASE If you do something on your own , you do it without any help from other people. □ I work best on my own. □ …the jobs your child can do on her own.
13 hold one's own → see hold ➍
▸ own up PHRASAL VERB If you own up to something wrong that you have done, you admit that you did it. □ [V P ] The headmaster is waiting for someone to own up. □ [V P + to ] They fear losing face by owning up to what they have done. COLLOCATIONS own NOUN 4
own + noun : business, company, share, stake; home, house, land, property
own + adverb : collectively, jointly, outright, partly; privately, publicly SYNONYMS own VERB 1
have: Oscar had a new bicycle.
possess: He is said to possess a large fortune.
keep: This mad writer kept a lobster as a pet.
o wn bra nd (own brands ) N‑COUNT Own brands are products which have the trademark or label of the shop which sells them, especially a supermarket chain. They are normally cheaper than other popular brands. [BUSINESS ] □ This range is substantially cheaper than any of the other own brands available. □ …own-brand cola.
-owned /-oʊnd/ COMB -owned combines with nouns, adjectives, and adverbs to form adjectives that indicate who owns something. □ More than 50 state-owned companies have been sold in the last decade. □ …the Japanese-owned Bel Air Hotel in Los Angeles.
own|er ◆◆◇ /oʊ nə r / (owners )
1 N‑COUNT The owner of something is the person to whom it belongs. □ [+ of ] The owner of the store was sweeping his floor when I walked in. □ New owners will have to wait until September before moving in.
2 → see also home owner , landowner
o wner-o ccupier (owner-occupiers ) N‑COUNT An owner-occupier is a person who owns the house or flat that they live in. [BRIT ]
own|er|ship ◆◇◇ /oʊ nə r ʃ I p/ N‑UNCOUNT Ownership of something is the state of owning it. □ [+ of ] They decided to relax their rules on the foreign ownership of their airlines. □ …the growth of home ownership in Britain.
o wn goa l (own goals )
1 N‑COUNT [usu sing] In sport, if someone scores an own goal , they accidentally score a goal for the team they are playing against. [BRIT ]
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If a course of action that someone takes harms their own interests, you can refer to it as an own goal . [BRIT ] □ The debacle over its deputy president was another own goal.
o wn la |bel (own labels ) N‑COUNT Own label is the same as own brand . [BUSINESS ] □ People will trade down to own labels which are cheaper.
ox /ɒ ks/ (oxen /ɒ ksən/) N‑COUNT An ox is a bull that has been castrated. Oxen are used in some countries for pulling vehicles or carrying things.
Ox|bridge /ɒ ksbr I dʒ/ N‑PROPER Oxbridge is used to refer to the British universities of Oxford and Cambridge together. [BRIT ] □ …an offer of a place at Oxbridge.
oxi|da|tion /ɒ ks I de I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Oxidation is a process in which a chemical substance changes because of the addition of oxygen. [TECHNICAL ]
ox|ide /ɒ ksa I d/ (oxides ) N‑VAR An oxide is a compound of oxygen and another chemical element.
oxi|dize /ɒ ks I da I z/ (oxidizes , oxidizing , oxidized ) in BRIT, also use oxidise VERB When a substance is oxidized or when it oxidizes , it changes chemically because of the effect of oxygen on it. □ [be V -ed] Aluminium is rapidly oxidized in air. □ [V ] The original white lead pigments have oxidized and turned black.
ox|tail /ɒ kste I l/ (oxtails ) N‑VAR Oxtail is meat from the tail of a cow. It is used for making soups and stews. □ …oxtail soup.
oxy|gen /ɒ ks I dʒən/ N‑UNCOUNT Oxygen is a colourless gas that exists in large quantities in the air. All plants and animals need oxygen in order to live. □ The human brain needs to be without oxygen for only four minutes before permanent damage occurs.
oxy|gen|ate /ɒ ks I dʒ I ne I t/ (oxygenates , oxygenating , oxygenated ) VERB To oxygenate something means to mix or dissolve oxygen into it. □ [V n] Previous attempts at filtering and oxygenating aquarium water had failed. □ [V -ed] …freshly oxygenated blood.
o xy|gen mask (oxygen masks ) N‑COUNT An oxygen mask is a device that is connected to a cylinder of oxygen by means of a tube. It is placed over the nose and mouth of someone who is having difficulty in breathing in order to help them breathe more easily.
oxy|mo|ron /ɒ ksimɔː rɒn/ (oxymorons ) N‑COUNT If you describe a phrase as an oxymoron , you mean that what it refers to combines two opposite qualities or ideas and therefore seems impossible. [TECHNICAL ] □ This has made many Americans conclude that business ethics is an oxymoron.
oys|ter /ɔ I stə r / (oysters )
1 N‑COUNT An oyster is a large flat shellfish. Some oysters can be eaten and others produce valuable objects called pearls.
2 PHRASE If you say that the world is someone's oyster , you mean that they can do anything or go anywhere that they want to. □ You're young, you've got a lot of opportunity. The world is your oyster.
o ys|ter bed (oyster beds ) N‑COUNT An oyster bed is a place where oysters breed and grow naturally or are kept for food or pearls.
oyster|catcher /ɔ I stə r kætʃə r / (oystercatchers ) N‑COUNT An oystercatcher is a black and white bird with a long red beak. It lives near the sea and eats small shellfish.
oz Oz is a written abbreviation for ounce . □ Whisk 25g (1 oz) of butter into the sauce.
ozone /oʊ zoʊn/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Ozone is a colourless gas which is a form of oxygen. There is a layer of ozone high above the earth's surface. □ What they find could provide clues to what might happen worldwide if ozone depletion continues.
o zone-frie ndly ADJ Ozone-friendly chemicals, products, or technology do not cause harm to the ozone layer. □ …ozone-friendly chemicals for fridges and air conditioners.
o zone lay|er N‑SING [usu the N ] The ozone layer is the part of the Earth's atmosphere that has the most ozone in it. The ozone layer protects living things from the harmful radiation of the sun.
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