overhead

Meanings

1. Located above, especially over the head.
2. Kicked over one's own head.

1. The expense of a business not directly assigned to goods or services provided.
2. The items or classes of expense not directly assigned to goods or services provided.
3. Any cost or expenditure (monetary, time, effort or otherwise) incurred in a project or activity, which does not directly contribute to its progress or outcome.
4. Wasted money.
5. A smash.
6. The ceiling of any enclosed space below decks in a vessel.
7. A compartment above the seats for stowing luggage in a passenger aircraft.
8. The system of overhead wires used to power electric transport, such as streetcars, trains, or buses.
9. Data or steps of computation used only to facilitate the computations in the system and not directly related to the actual program code or data being processed.
10. An overhead throw.
11. A type of bridge, also commonly known as an overpass or flyover, which carries one form of traffic over another.

1. Above one's head; in the sky.
2. Per head; for each individual.

1. Above.

1. An overhead projector.
2. A sheet of transparent material with an image used with an overhead projector; an overhead transparency.

Etymology

From Middle English owerheved, over-hed, over hede (adverb), from Old English oferhēafod (adverb), equivalent to over- + head. Compare German Low German overhoopt, överhoopt, German überhaupt. Piecewise doublet of overchief.