overflow

[ verb oh-ver-floh; noun oh-ver-floh ]

verb (used without object)

, o·ver·flowed, o·ver·flown, o·ver·flow·ing.

1. to flow or run over, as rivers or water:

   After the thaw, the river overflows and causes great damage.

2. to have the contents flowing over or spilling, as an overfull container:

   Stop pouring or your glass is going to overflow.

3. to pass from one place or part to another as if flowing from an overfull space:

   The population overflowed into the adjoining territory.

4. to be filled or supplied with in great measure:

   a heart overflowing with gratitude; a region overflowing with orchards and vineyards.

verb (used with object)

, o·ver·flowed, o·ver·flown, o·ver·flow·ing.

1. to flow over; flood; inundate:

   The river overflowed several farms.

2. to flow over or beyond (the brim, banks, borders, etc.).
3. to cause to overflow.
4. to flow over the edge or brim of (a receptacle, container, etc.).
5. to fill to the point of running over.

noun

1. an overflowing:

   the annual overflow of the Nile.

2. something that flows or runs over:

   to carry off the overflow from a fountain.

3. a portion crowded out of an overfilled place:

   to house the overflow of the museum's collection in another building.

4. an excess or superabundance:

   an overflow of applicants for the job.

   Synonyms: glut, flood, plethora, surplus, overabundance

5. an outlet or receptacle for excess liquid:

   The tank is equipped with an overflow.

overflow

verb

1. to flow or run over (a limit, brim, bank, etc)
2. to fill or be filled beyond capacity so as to spill or run over
3. intrusually foll bywith to be filled with happiness, tears, etc
4. tr to spread or cover over; flood or inundate

noun

1. overflowing matter, esp liquid
2. any outlet that enables surplus liquid to be discharged or drained off, esp one just below the top of a tank or cistern
3. the amount by which a limit, capacity, etc, is exceeded
4. computing a condition that occurs when numeric operations produce results too large to store in the memory space assigned to it

Other Words From

• over·flowa·ble adjective
• over·flowing·ly adverb
• uno·ver·flowing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of overflow¹

before 900; Middle English overflowen, Old English oferflōwan. See over-, flow

Example Sentences

"That is where we are legally allowed to be physical and manhandle players, which will hopefully overflow into other moments on the field. When we scrum, we scrum to dominate."

From BBC

The week before Salon spoke with Gucciardo in October, 19-year-old software engineering student Sha’ban Al-Dalou was burned alive as a result of a targeted Israeli strike that hit patient tents in the hospital courtyard of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, which, like the grounds of other major hospitals, has become an overflow site for patients and their families.

From Salon

The Cleddau Project's Ric Cooper said campaigners investigated because an overflow pipe at Picton playing fields appeared to be spilling more raw sewage than usual.

From BBC

Welsh Water data showed the overflow pipe at Picton in 2023 discharged 133 times for almost 647 hours.

From BBC

Waste water chief Steve Wilson said the equipment monitor flow on the Picton overflow pipe had been fitted before the deadline of regulator NRW.

From BBC

Related Words

• brim
• bubble over
• cascade
• deluge
• drain
• drown
• engulf
• gush
• inundate
• leak
• overrun
• pour
• run over
• soak
• spill
• spill over
• submerge
• swamp