noun · verb · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈəʊvə(ɹ)ˌdɹaɪv/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
/ˌəʊvə(ɹ)ˈdɹaɪv/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:OW1 V ER0 D R AY2 V
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A gear, on an automobile, higher than the traditional top gear, mainly to allow better fuel economy at highway speeds. In the 21st century, such gears are no longer viewed as "extra" and thus rarely called by this name.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, dated, uncountable
Topics: automotive, transport, vehicles
Examples
Near-synonym: top gear
In the 1970s, many transmission designs were revised to add an overdrive gear.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: OD, O/D, O.D., top gear
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A state of heightened activity.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, uncountable
Examples
overdrive pacing
The campaign has been in overdrive since the recent announcement.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: top gear, full throttle
Antonyms: low gear
3
noun
Meaning 3
Freewheeling (driving a vehicle with the transmission in neutral) on downhill stretches to achieve higher fuel economy and/or speed than otherwise. In colloquial registers, ethnically bigoted variants have been common, such as Jewish overdrive (alluding to the stereotype of miserly Jews) or Mexican overdrive or Polish overdrive (alluding to stereotypes of foolishness and poverty).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, euphemistic, slang, uncountable
Examples
Of course overdrive is forbidden for dump trucks in the quarry because it is unsafe, but unscrupulous workers were found to be using it because of a perverse incentive involving tonnage piece rates.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: see at angel gear
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A gear ratio higher than 1:1: one in which a single revolution of the driving element corresponds to more than one revolution of the driven element.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
From over- + drive, originally referring to gear ratios over 1:1.
From Middle English overdriven, from Old English oferdrīfan, equivalent to over- + drive. Cognate with Saterland Frisian uurdrieuwe (“to overdo, overstate”), Dutch overdrijven (“to exaggerate”), German Low German overdrieven, överdrieven (“to overdo, exaggerate”), German übertreiben (“to overdo, exaggerate”), Norwegian overdrive (“to exaggerate”).
Across languages
Translations
14 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Finnish:
ylivaihde
— gear on an automobile
French:
surmultipliée
— gear on an automobile
German:
Schnellgang
— gear on an automobile
German:
Overdrive
— gear on an automobile
Greek:
πέμπτη
(pémpti)
— gear on an automobile
Italian:
sovrautilizzo
— gear on an automobile
Polish:
nadbieg
— gear on an automobile
Spanish:
superdirecta
— gear on an automobile
Spanish:
sobremarcha
— gear on an automobile
Finnish:
ylikierrokset
— state of heightened activity
French:
surrégime
— state of heightened activity
French:
surmenage
— state of heightened activity
Greek:
υπερτάχυνση
(ypertáchynsi)
— state of heightened activity
