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overboard

adv. place
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈoʊvɝˌbɔɹd// UK //ˌəʊvəbˈɔːd// over·board

adv. over the side of a boat or ship and into the water. You can also use it to describe doing something too much or with too much excitement.

adv. from a vessel into the water; by extension, to an excessive or immoderate degree. Often follows the verb 'go' in its figurative sense.


SIMPLE

The sailor accidentally knocked the bucket overboard.

CONTEXTUAL

The crew worked quickly to rescue the passenger who had fallen overboard during the storm.

COMPLEX

While the initial marketing plan was modest, the team went overboard with the launch party, spending their entire quarterly budget on a single evening of entertainment.

Origin

From Middle English overbord, overborde, equivalent to over- + board.

Usage

In its literal sense, it functions as an adverb of place; in its figurative sense ('go overboard'), it describes the manner or degree of an action.

Pitfall

He fell to overboardHe fell overboardOverboard already includes the direction of movement; it should not be preceded by the preposition 'to'.

Idioms2 entries

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