overload
/ˌəʊvəˈləʊd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌəʊvərˈləʊd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌō-vər-ˈlōd/ (ame, mw) · /ˈəʊ.və.ləʊd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈoʊ.vɚ.loʊd/ (ame, ipa)
overload — verb
- overloadpresent simple I / you / we / they
- overloadshe / she / it
- overloadedpast simple
- overloading-ing form
1. to put so many people or things onto something, or into it, that it goes past a
to put so many people or things onto something, or into it, that it goes past a safe carrying limit.
Dock workers overloaded the small truck with bags of rice.
overload + vehicle + with + goods
Too many suitcases overloaded the roof rack before sunrise.
Do not overload the washing machine with wet towels.
Festival visitors overloaded the wooden bridge after the concert.
- overfill
focuses on putting too much inside a container, not on total carrying limit
- overburden
can be physical or figurative and stresses strain more than loading
- crowd
usually refers to too many people rather than goods or weight
文法句型
overload + vehicle/container/structure + with + people or goods
do not overload + machine/shelf/boat
用法筆記
Usually takes a vehicle, machine, shelf, or structure as the object, often with with + the extra people or things. Distinguish from sense 2, which is specifically about electrical power or system demand.
2. to push a circuit, device, or system beyond the amount of electrical power or de
to push a circuit, device, or system beyond the amount of electrical power or demand it was built to handle.
Plugging two heaters into one socket overloaded the old circuit.
overload + circuit
Running every freezer together overloaded the backup generator.
A faulty charger overloaded Iris's laptop battery overnight.
Too many video streams overloaded the office server before noon.
- overtax
broader and less specific to electricity or devices
- overstrain
stresses damage or stress more than the excess power itself
文法句型
overload + circuit/device/server
overload + system + with + power or data
用法筆記
Common in warnings about circuits, batteries, generators, servers, and power supplies. Distinguish from sense 1: the issue here is power or system demand, not physical weight.
3. to give a person, team, or system so much work, information, or trouble that nor
to give a person, team, or system so much work, information, or trouble that normal work becomes hard to continue.
The manager overloaded Eitan with weekend shifts before the holiday.
overload + person + with + work
Dozens of refund emails overloaded the support team by lunchtime.
The trainer overloaded new staff with rules on the first morning.
Five urgent requests at once overloaded Beatriz's small team.
- overwhelm
often stresses emotional effect more strongly than sheer amount
- overburden
suggests a lasting weight of duty or responsibility
- swamp
more informal and suggests being buried under messages or tasks
文法句型
overload + person/team + with + work or information
be overloaded with + tasks/messages/requests
用法筆記
Often followed by with + work, facts, calls, or requests, and common in passive forms such as be overloaded with emails. Distinguish from sense 1, where the object is a physical thing that carries weight.
overload — noun
- overloadsingular
- overloadsplural
1. a situation in which a person, machine, or system has more weight, work, informa
a situation in which a person, machine, or system has more weight, work, information, or power than it can manage safely.
The elevator shut down because the overload was too severe.
noun use: the overload was too severe
Classes, work, and family duties created overload for Sofia.
A sudden overload on the server delayed every ticket purchase.
Too many calls at once caused overload in the small office.
- burden
broader and often more emotional or personal
- excess
focuses on there being too much, without the idea of strain
- overload condition
more technical and used especially in engineering
文法句型
an overload of + work/data/calls
cause/create an overload
electrical overload
用法筆記
Often used for work, information, traffic, or electricity when the amount has gone past a safe or manageable level.