overkill — Englisches Wörterbuch

Substantiv

1. A destructive capacity that exceeds that needed to destroy an enemy; especially with nuclear weapons.

   Gebrauch

   • literally
   • nicht zählbar

   Beispiele

   Weitere Beispiele (1)

   [The] increase in nuclear missiles available to the West was operationally unnecessary and would only add to the existing nuclear overkill; mixed manning was a formula for military disaster; […]

2. Destruction beyond what is necessary to kill, especially in murder.

   Gebrauch

   • literally
   • nicht zählbar

   Beispiele

   Weitere Beispiele (1)

   Bodies that have been stabbed or shot multiple times—far beyond what was sufficient to kill the victim (overkill)— suggest that the victim and assailant knew each other, […]

   For some killers with a great deal of love/hate for their victims, it [an edged weapon] is the perfect instrument for a maniacal overkill.

   Weitere Beispiele (1)

   "Trans people generally don't get stabbed once; they get stabbed 20 times, shot, burned and thrown into a dumpster." […] Their killers, in displaying an especially virulent form of hatred, often went from murder to overkill, attempting to obliterate their victims, perhaps in an attempt to erase them completely, […]

3. An unnecessary excess of whatever is needed to achieve a goal.

   Gebrauch

   • broadly
   • nicht zählbar

   Beispiele

   24 hours of TV coverage of the US election verged on overkill.

   Should I give you yet more homework, or would that be overkill?

   Weitere Beispiele (1)

   This is a live concert album, a good choice because it allows for simpler instrumental backup and avoids the studio overkill that would be inappropriate for such a forthright album.

4. An unnecessary excess of disposal because of too high criteria of inspection.

   Gebrauch

   • nicht zählbar

   Antonyme

   underkill

Verb

1. To destroy something with more (nuclear) force than is required.

   Gebrauch

   • transitiv

2. To dispose of too many items because of too-high criteria of inspection.

   Antonyme

   underkill

3. To do something excessive to achieve a goal.

Substantiv

1. the capability to obliterate a target with more weapons (especially nuclear weapons) than are required

   Oberbegriffe

   capabilitycapableness

2. any effort that seems to go farther than would be necessary to achieve its goal

   Oberbegriffe

   effortelbow greaseexertiontravailsweat