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overbank

American  
[oh-ver-bangk] / ˌoʊ vərˈbæŋk /

verb (used without object)

Horology.

  1. to have the balance staff oscillate so greatly that the fork of the lever fails to engage, rendering the escapement inoperative.

Etymology

Origin of overbank

First recorded in 1880–85; over- + bank 1

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.

In spite of this the model runs very actively and will overbank if wound up very far.

From The Auburndale Watch Company First American Attempt Toward the Dollar Watch by Battison, Edwin A.

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.