# overboard

/ˈoʊvɝˌbɔɹd/ (US) · /ˌəʊvəbˈɔːd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/overboard
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. into the water

adverb · CEFR B2

over the side of a boat and into the water.

For teachers: over the side of a ship or boat into the surrounding water.

- The rough waves caused several boxes to fall overboard during the storm.
- The safety drill requires all crew members to know exactly what to do if a passenger accidentally falls overboard in open water.

### 2. too much

adverb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to do something too much or with too much energy.

For teachers: to act with excessive enthusiasm or to take a situation to an extreme.

- I think I went overboard with the decorations for the party.
- While it is important to be thorough, you should avoid going overboard with technical details that might confuse the client.

### 3. to add plasterboard

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical · British English

to put a new layer of board over an old ceiling or wall.

For teachers: to apply a new layer of plasterboard over an existing surface, typically a ceiling, to create a smooth finish.

- The builder decided to overboard the old ceiling instead of removing it.
- If the original lath and plaster is sagging, the most efficient solution is often to overboard the ceiling before applying a final skim coat.

## Examples

- The sailor accidentally knocked the bucket overboard.
- The crew worked quickly to rescue the passenger who had fallen overboard during the storm.
- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.