English Explanatory Dictionary

overkill

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A destructive capacity that exceeds that needed to destroy an enemy; especially with nuclear weapons.
  2. Destruction beyond what is necessary to kill, especially in murder.
  3. An unnecessary excess of whatever is needed to achieve a goal.
  4. An unnecessary excess of disposal because of too high criteria of inspection.
verb
  1. To destroy something with more (nuclear) force than is required.
  2. To dispose of too many items because of too-high criteria of inspection.
  3. To do something excessive to achieve a goal.

Pronunciation

/ˈəʊ.vəˌkɪl/ /ˈoʊ.vɚˌkɪl/ En-us-overkill.ogg /ˌəʊvəˈkɪl/ /ˌoʊvɚˈkɪl/ /ˈoʊvɚˌkɪl/ En-us-overkill-2.ogg

Word forms

overkill overkills overkilling overkilled

Etymology

From over- + kill.

Antonyms

underkill

Translations

Czech: kanón na vrabce Finnish: liika Finnish: liioittelu French: excès French: surpuissance German: Overkill German: Übermaß Greek: υπέρβαση Greek: υπερβολή Ancient Greek: ὑπέρβασις Ancient Greek: ὑπερβολή Hungarian: ágyúval lő verébre Indonesian: berlebihan Indonesian: berlebih-lebihan Italian: eccessivo Polish: przesada Portuguese: exagero Russian: переги́б Russian: перебо́р Russian: перевыполнение Russian: из пу́шки по воробья́м Spanish: excesivo Spanish: matar moscas a cañonazos Spanish: exageración Spanish: desmesuramiento Spanish: desmesura Spanish: exceso Spanish: superávit Spanish: demasía Spanish: pasarse tres pueblos
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