overdrive

American  

[oh-ver-drahyv, oh-ver-drahyv] / ˌoʊ vərˈdraɪv, ˈoʊ vərˌdraɪv /

verb (used with object)

overdrove, overdriven, overdriving

1. to push or carry to excess; overwork.

2. to drive too hard.

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noun

1. Machinery, Automotive. a device containing a gear set at such ratio and arrangement as to provide a drive shaft speed greater than the engine crankshaft speed.

2. Also called hyperdrive.  Informal. a state of intense activity or productivity.

   The political campaign has shifted into overdrive.

overdrive British  

noun

1. a very high gear in a motor vehicle used at high speeds to reduce wear and save fuel

2. in a state of intense activity

3. into a state of intense activity

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verb

1. (tr) to drive too hard or too far; overwork or overuse

Etymology

Origin of overdrive

First recorded before 950; Middle English overdriven “to cover over, overpower”; Old English oferdrīfan “to drive away, overthrow”; equivalent to over- ( def. ) + drive ( def. )

Example Sentences

But Ola has struggled to read the market well, says Rohit Paradkar, an analyst with the auto magazine Overdrive.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2025

Tim Bachman, 71, founding guitarist of the Canadian rock band Bachman-Turner Overdrive, died April 28 after a battle with cancer, his son, Paxton Bachman, confirmed on Facebook.

From Seattle Times • May 5, 2023

Bachman also played guitar for Brave Belt, another rock band that featured the Bachman-Turner Overdrive quartet and keyboardist Chad Allen.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2023

Libraries have tried to keep up with the changing landscape, and have turned to a number of digital book lending platforms, such as Overdrive and Libby.

From Washington Post • Jul. 25, 2022

Overdrive was sometimes not fast enough—but solar-system drive was infuriatingly slow.

From Talents, Incorporated by Leinster, Murray