What does "over" mean?
A set of six legal balls bowled.
Over
/ˈəʊ.və(ɹ)/ adj, adv, intj, name, noun, prep, verb, slang
adj, adv, intj, name, noun, prep, verb, slang ·Top 500 ·Elementary level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A set of six legal balls bowled.
- Grammar: over is listed as adj, adv, intj, name, noun, prep, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: a cut above, above, above, above and beyond.
- Useful contrasts: shy, adequate, after.
- Usage evidence: I suppose it's different when you think about it over the long term.
How to use "over"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "over" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "over" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "over" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "over" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "over" is acting as adj, adv, intj, name, noun, prep, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "a cut above" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "over", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A set of six legal balls bowled.
"Jones hit four boundaries in the first over."
- 2 A shore, riverbank. dialectal, obsolete, rare
"The sea's over."
- 3 (cricket) the division of play during which six balls are bowled at the batsman by one player from the other team from the same end of the pitch wordnet
- 4 Any surplus amount of money, goods delivered, etc.
"[…] standard cash count forms used to record the count and any overs or unders."
- 5 Something having an excess of a particular property. informal
"I went fishing but caught mostly overs."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A bet that a particular sporting statistic, such a points scored in a game, will be above a certain stated value.
Verb
- 1 To go over, or jump over. UK, dialectal, obsolete, transitive
"He overed the fence in good style."
- 2 To run about. UK, dialectal, intransitive, obsolete
"The cattle have been overing all day because of the flies."
Adjective
- 1 Finished; ended; concluded. not-comparable
"The show isn't over until the fat lady sings."
- 2 Finished; ended; concluded.; Of a flower: wilting or withering. not-comparable
- 3 Hopeless; irrecoverable. informal, not-comparable
"We're keeping our marriage going for the sake of the kids, but really it's over."
- 4 Visiting one's home or other location. informal, not-comparable
"My sister's over for the week."
- 5 Having surmounted an obstacle. not-comparable
"The horse struggled at that fence, but it's over."
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- 6 Having an excess in a particular respect. informal, not-comparable
"This steak is well over. (overcooked)"
- 7 Surplus to requirements. not-comparable
"I made 20 cakes, but I only need 18, so there are two over."
- 8 Of a wrestler: generating a reaction from fans. not-comparable, slang
Adjective
- 1 having come or been brought to a conclusion wordnet
Adverb
- 1 Describing a physical change of position or state.; From one position or location to another, horizontally or approximately so, or along a route visualised as "across". not-comparable
"That vase isn't exactly central. Could you move it over a couple of inches?"
- 2 Describing a physical change of position or state.; Across from one side of something to the other. not-comparable
"I need to cross the river. Can you take me over in your boat?"
- 3 Describing a physical change of position or state.; So as to pass above. not-comparable
"I looked up just as a helicopter flew over."
- 4 Describing a physical change of position or state.; Up one side of something, across, and then down the other side. not-comparable
"The fence is too high. I don't think I'll be able to get over."
- 5 Describing a physical change of position or state.; Across something, such as an edge, and then downwards. not-comparable
"The car rolled to the edge of the cliff and went straight over."
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- 6 Describing a physical change of position or state.; From an upright position to a horizontal one. not-comparable
"He tipped the bottle over, and the water came gushing out."
- 7 Describing a physical change of position or state.; So as to fold towards or onto itself. not-comparable
"Bend the end of that wire over to make a hook."
- 8 Describing a physical change of position or state.; On top of something, or so as to cover something. not-comparable
"Paint it over with a darker colour."
- 9 Describing a physical change of position or state.; So as to reverse up/down orientation, or otherwise change orientation by rotating. not-comparable
"Put the card face down, and don't turn it over until I say so."
- 10 Describing a physical change of position or state.; So as to reverse or exchange position(s). not-comparable
"Swap those cables over. The red one should be in the left socket."
- 11 Expressing figurative movement from one position or state across to another. not-comparable
"He came over to our way of thinking on the new project."
- 12 Indicating a direction or location away from the speaker, usually roughly horizontally or visualised as such. not-comparable
"I'll see you over at the club."
- 13 Thoroughly; completely; from beginning to end. not-comparable
"Let's talk over the project at tomorrow's meeting."
- 14 To a high or excessive degree; overly; see also over-. in-compounds, not-comparable, often
"I'm not over bothered about going to the party."
- 15 Beyond or in excess of what is correct or expected. not-comparable
"The show ran ten minutes over."
- 16 To a future time. not-comparable
"Carry the shortfall over and we'll make it up tomorrow."
- 17 Overnight (throughout the night). not-comparable
"We missed the last bus home so we stayed over."
- 18 Indicating repetition.; Again; another time; once more; over again. US, not-comparable, usually
"I lost my paper and I had to do the entire assignment over."
- 19 Indicating repetition.; Used for rhetorical effect to reinforce that something was done the stated number of times. not-comparable
"I said the magic word three times over, and the secret door slid open."
- 20 See also individual entries for phrasal verbs: go over, hand over, run over, take over, win over, etc. not-comparable
Adverb
- 1 over the entire area wordnet
- 2 throughout a period of time wordnet
- 3 at or to a point across intervening space etc. wordnet
- 4 throughout an area wordnet
- 5 beyond the top or upper surface or edge; forward from an upright position wordnet
Preposition
- 1 Expressing spatial relationship or movement.; Above; higher than; further up than.
"Hold the sign up over your head."
- 2 Expressing spatial relationship or movement.; Across, from one side to the other.
"The guide took us over the border."
- 3 Expressing spatial relationship or movement.; Across, so as to pass above.
"The vulture flew over the desert."
- 4 Expressing spatial relationship or movement.; Through or around all the parts of.
"The estate agent showed me over the property."
- 5 Expressing spatial relationship or movement.; On the other side of.
"He lives over the road from me."
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- 6 Expressing spatial relationship or movement.; At or near (a location seen as 'across' from the speaker's location). informal
"There was a big fire over the other side of town."
- 7 Expressing spatial relationship or movement.; From one physical position to another via an obstacle that must be traversed vertically, first upwards and then downwards.
"The dog jumped over the fence."
- 8 Expressing spatial relationship or movement.; Across (something) and then downwards.
"The car drove straight over the edge of the cliff."
- 9 Expressing spatial relationship or movement.; On top of; in such a way as to cover.
"Drape the fabric over the table."
- 10 Expressing comparison.; More than (a given value, amount, limit etc.); beyond; past; exceeding.
"He is over a hundred years old."
- 11 Expressing comparison.; To a greater degree than.
"I prefer the purple over the pink."
- 12 Expressing comparison.; As compared to.
"Sales are down this quarter over last."
- 13 During or throughout (a time period).
"He's got grumpier over the years."
- 14 Through or via (a particular transmission medium).
"A stern voice boomed over the loudspeaker."
- 15 Indicating relative status, authority, or power
"The owner's son lorded it over the experienced managers."
- 16 In a position of having overcome (a problem or issue); past; finished with; from one state to another via a hindrance that must be solved or defeated; or via a third state that represents a significant difference from the first two.
"We got over the engineering problems and the prototype works great."
- 17 While doing an activity involving (something), especially while consuming.
"We had a chat over dinner."
- 18 Concerning or regarding.
"The two boys had a fight over whose girlfriend was the best."
- 19 Above, implying superiority after a contest; in spite of; notwithstanding.
"We triumphed over difficulties."
- 20 Expressing causation: due to, as the result of.
"He was fired over that."
- 21 Divided by.
"Two over six equals one over three."
- 22 Separates the three of a kind from the pair in a full house.
"9♦9♠9♣6♥6♠ = nines over sixes"
- 23 Separates the primary chord of a slash chord from the bass note
Intj
- 1 A radio procedure word meaning that the station is finished with its transmission and is expecting a response.
"Bravo Six, this is Bravo Six Four. Stand by for ten mike report one dash three, over."
- 2 Instructs the reader to turn the page and continue reading the other side.
- 3 Ellipsis of over the left shoulder (“expressing disbelief etc.”). abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, obsolete, slang
Proper Noun
- 1 A village and civil parish in South Cambridgeshire district, Cambridgeshire, England (OS grid ref TL3770).
- 2 A suburban area in Winsford, Cheshire West and Chester district, Cheshire, England (OS grid ref SJ6366).
- 3 A hamlet in Almondsbury parish, South Gloucestershire district, Gloucestershire, England (OS grid ref ST5882)
- 4 A hamlet near Gloucester in Highnam parish, Tewkesbury district, Gloucestershire (OS grid ref SO8119).
- 5 A village in Seevetal, Lower Saxony, Germany.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"I suppose it's different when you think about it over the long term."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "over"?
Common synonyms include: a cut above, above, above, above and beyond, above asking price, abovestairs.
How do you use "over" in a sentence?
I suppose it's different when you think about it over the long term.
How do you pronounce "over"?
Pronounced /ˈəʊ.və(ɹ)/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *úp Proto-Indo-European *-er Proto-Indo-European *upér Proto-Germanic *uber Proto-West Germanic *obar Old English ofer Middle English over English over From Middle English over, from Old English ofer, from Proto-West Germanic *obar, from Proto-Germanic *uber (“over”), from Proto-Indo-European *upér, related to *upó. Akin to Scots ower (“over”), Yola oer, ower, owr (“over”), Saterland Frisian uur (“over”), West Frisian oer (“over, across”), Cimbrian übar (“over”), Dutch over (“over”), German ober, über, ueber (“over, above”), Limburgish euver, övver (“over”), Low German över, üöver (“over”), Luxembourgish iwwer (“over”), Mòcheno iber (“over”), Yiddish איבער (iber, “over”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål over (“over”), Faroese yvir (“over”), Icelandic yfir (“over”), Norwegian Nynorsk over, yver, yvi (“over”), Swedish över (“over”), Gothic 𐌿𐍆𐌰𐍂 (ufar, “over”), Latin super (“over, above”), Ancient Greek ὑπέρ (hupér, “over, above”), Albanian upri (“group of peasants”), Sanskrit उपरि (upári, “over”). Doublet of uber, super, and hyper.
Etymology 2
From Middle English over (“riverbank, seashore, brink”), from Old English ōfer (“riverbank, seashore, brink, edge, margin, border”), from Proto-Germanic *ōferaz. Cognate with Dutch oever (“riverbank, shore”), German Ufer (“shore, shoreline, riverbank”), Low German Över (“shore, riverbank”).