overflow

[ verb oh-ver-floh; noun oh-ver-floh ]

/ verb ˌoʊ vərˈfloʊ; noun ˈoʊ vərˌfloʊ /

See synonyms for: overflow / overflowing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), o·ver·flowed, o·ver·flown, o·ver·flow·ing.

to flow or run over, as rivers or water: After the thaw, the river overflows and causes great damage.

to have the contents flowing over or spilling, as an overfull container: Stop pouring or your glass is going to overflow.

to pass from one place or part to another as if flowing from an overfull space: The population overflowed into the adjoining territory.

to be filled or supplied with in great measure: a heart overflowing with gratitude; a region overflowing with orchards and vineyards.

verb (used with object), o·ver·flowed, o·ver·flown, o·ver·flow·ing.

to flow over; flood; inundate: The river overflowed several farms.

to flow over or beyond (the brim, banks, borders, etc.).

to cause to overflow.

to flow over the edge or brim of (a receptacle, container, etc.).

to fill to the point of running over.

noun

an overflowing: the annual overflow of the Nile.

something that flows or runs over: to carry off the overflow from a fountain.

a portion crowded out of an overfilled place: to house the overflow of the museum's collection in another building.

an excess or superabundance: an overflow of applicants for the job.

an outlet or receptacle for excess liquid: The tank is equipped with an overflow.

SYNONYMS FOR overflow

13 overabundance, surplus, plethora, flood, glut.

See synonyms for overflow on Thesaurus.com

QUIZZES

THIS PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ IS PERFECT PRACTICE FOR THE REAL TEST

In our third teacher-created PSAT practice test there are new and unique vocabulary terms you may have never heard of! Can you guess what they mean?

Question 1 of 10

seclusion

a false belief or opinion.

the matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid.

the state of being isolated, kept apart, or withdrawn into solitude.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of overflow

before 900; Middle English overflowen,Old English oferflōwan.See over-, flow

OTHER WORDS FROM overflow

o·ver·flow·a·ble, adjectiveo·ver·flow·ing·ly, adverbun·o·ver·flow·ing, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for overflow

Three children ragged, with naked legs, were playing there in a stream that was overflown.
A Tour Through The Pyrenees|Hippolyte Adolphe Taine
Deck now kept her headed for the other shore, and before long they drifted up into a meadow which was overflown for several acres.
An Undivided Union|Oliver Optic
I was beginning to loathe the overflown sense of duty which had brought me back here.
The Planet Savers|Marion Zimmer Bradley
The tank has overflown into the garden, and the bushy tops of the Bael trees are seen standing out over the waters.
My Reminiscences|Rabindranath Tagore

Whether 'the world that then was' was overflown and perished by the causes set forth, we can not tell.
Continental Monthly, Vol. I., No. IV., April, 1862|Various

British Dictionary definitions for overflow

overflow

verb (ˌəʊvəˈfləʊ) -flows or -flowing or -flowed or formerly -flown

to flow or run over (a limit, brim, bank, etc)

to fill or be filled beyond capacity so as to spill or run over

(intr usually foll by with) to be filled with happiness, tears, etc

(tr) to spread or cover over; flood or inundate

noun (ˈəʊvəˌfləʊ)

overflowing matter, esp liquid

any outlet that enables surplus liquid to be discharged or drained off, esp one just below the top of a tank or cistern

the amount by which a limit, capacity, etc, is exceeded

computing a condition that occurs when numeric operations produce results too large to store in the memory space assigned to it

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

overflow

verb (used without object), o·ver·flowed, o·ver·flown, o·ver·flow·ing.

verb (used with object), o·ver·flowed, o·ver·flown, o·ver·flow·ing.

noun

SYNONYMS FOR overflow

QUIZZES

THIS PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ IS PERFECT PRACTICE FOR THE REAL TEST

Origin of overflow

OTHER WORDS FROM overflow

Example sentences from the Web for overflow

British Dictionary definitions for overflow

verb (ˌəʊvəˈfləʊ) -flows or -flowing or -flowed or formerly -flown

noun (ˈəʊvəˌfləʊ)

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

overflow

verb (used without object), o·ver·flowed, o·ver·flown, o·ver·flow·ing.

verb (used with object), o·ver·flowed, o·ver·flown, o·ver·flow·ing.

noun

SYNONYMS FOR overflow

QUIZZES

THIS PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ IS PERFECT PRACTICE FOR THE REAL TEST

Origin of overflow

OTHER WORDS FROM overflow

Words related to overflow

Example sentences from the Web for overflow

British Dictionary definitions for overflow

verb (ˌəʊvəˈfləʊ) -flows or -flowing or -flowed or formerly -flown

noun (ˈəʊvəˌfləʊ)