over the top
Idioms-
Surpassing a goal or quota, as in The new salesmen are excellent; they were over the top within the first six months . [Mid-1900s]
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Over the parapet of a military trench, as in The lieutenant sent fresh troops over the top . This usage dates from World War I.
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Extreme, outrageous, as in This comedian's style goes over the top . [ Slang ; late 1900s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
His side are asked to carry out passing routines too with patterns of play often ending in United's midfielders playing through-balls over the top for attackers running in behind.
From BBC
Characters tend to break into song and dance, and plots are often over the top.
Mr Clothier explains: "The methanogenic bacteria are gobbling up all the solids and generating loads of lovely methane, which we then catch in the hoods over the top."
From BBC
The food conglomerate said that Steve Cahillane, a veteran industry executive and former Kellanova CEO, will take over the top role at Kraft Heinz, on Jan. 1.
“Noah had two bad ankles. He tried to go a couple series but he just couldn’t do it. We thought we could get them over the top and we got them a couple times but not enough.”
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
