overflow
/ˌəʊvəˈfləʊ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌəʊvərˈfləʊ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌō-vər-ˈflō/ (ame, mw) · /ˈəʊ.və.fləʊ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈoʊ.vɚ.floʊ/ (ame, ipa)
overflow — 動詞
- overflowpresent simple I / you / we / they
- overflowshe / she / it
- overflowedpast simple
- overflowing-ing form
1. When liquid overflows, it goes past the edge because there is more than the cont
溢出
液體多到越過邊緣流出
When liquid overflows, it goes past the edge because there is more than the container or channel can hold.
Hot soup overflowed the bowl and ran onto Mia's tray.
熱湯溢出碗邊，流到了 Mia 的托盤上。
transitive: overflow a bowl
After the storm, brown water overflowed the ditch beside our house.
暴風雨過後，褐色的水溢出了我們家旁邊的水溝。
Milk overflowed from the pot while Ken answered the phone.
Ken 去接電話時，牛奶從鍋子裡溢了出來。
By noon, the river overflowed its banks near the old bridge.
到中午時，河水在老橋附近溢出了河岸。
Tea overflowed onto the table when Emma filled the cup too fast.
Emma 倒茶倒太快，茶水溢到桌上了。
- spill over
very close in meaning, often stressing liquid going past an edge
- flood
usually suggests covering a wider area, not only passing an edge
- brim over
slightly more literary and often used for something filled right to the top
文法句型
liquid overflows
overflow a bowl, pot, or ditch
overflow its banks
用法筆記
The subject is usually the liquid itself, especially with water, milk, soup, or a river. In transitive use, the object is often the edge or container that the liquid passes over.
常見錯誤
2. A container or enclosed space overflows when there is so much in it that part of
滿出
容器太滿而有東西跑出來
A container or enclosed space overflows when there is so much in it that part of the contents spills beyond the edge.
The sink overflowed after rice blocked the kitchen drain.
米粒堵住廚房排水口後，水槽就滿出來了。
container subject: sink overflowed
By sunset, the trash can overflowed with paper plates and cups.
到了傍晚，垃圾桶裡的紙盤和杯子已經滿出來了。
overflow with + contents
The mailbox overflowed with birthday cards from three countries.
信箱裡來自三個國家的生日卡片多到滿出來。
The toy box overflowed with blocks after Leo's birthday party.
Leo 生日派對後，玩具箱裡的積木已經滿出來了。
Our laundry basket overflowed before Saturday morning arrived.
還沒到星期六早上，我們的洗衣籃就已經滿出來了。
- spill over
close in everyday meaning, but often used when the contents also spread outside
- brim over
more vivid and slightly more literary
- bulge
suggests being too full, but not always with things actually coming out
文法句型
container overflows
overflow with + contents
overflow onto + surface
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: here the subject is the container or place, not the liquid. It often takes 'with' before the things that are coming out.
常見錯誤
3. A place overflows when extra people or things cannot stay inside and spread into
外溢而出
地方裝不下而往外擴散
A place overflows when extra people or things cannot stay inside and spread into nearby areas.
Fans overflowed from the stadium into the streets after the final.
決賽後，球迷從體育場外溢而出，湧上街頭。
pattern: overflow from one place into another
After the service, cars overflowed from the church lot into the school driveway.
禮拜結束後，車流從教會停車場滿出來，排進學校車道。
The waiting room overflowed before the clinic opened its second floor.
診所在開放二樓以前，候診室的人就已經滿到外面了。
Books overflowed from the shelves onto the study floor.
書本從架上外溢而出，落到書房地板上。
At lunch, students overflowed from the cafeteria into the courtyard.
午餐時間，學生從餐廳外溢而出，散到中庭。
- fit
to go inside the available space without extra people or things outside
- stay within
to remain inside the limits of a place
文法句型
overflow from + place
overflow into + area
overflow onto + surface
用法筆記
Common with crowds, traffic, books, and events. Unlike sense 2, the focus is on extra people or things spreading beyond a full place rather than simply coming out of a container.
4. used for something filled so near the top that the liquid or contents are about
滿到頂
多到快從上方流出
used for something filled so near the top that the liquid or contents are about to run over.
The cook filled each cup to overflowing with thick soup.
廚師把每個杯子都裝得滿到頂，裡面是濃湯。
phrase: to overflowing
Nora packed the fruit box to overflowing before the school fair.
Nora 在學校園遊會前，把水果箱塞得滿到頂。
The gardener watered the stone pot to overflowing.
園丁把石盆澆到滿到頂。
Aunt Mei filled the bath almost to overflowing.
Aunt Mei 把浴缸放水放到幾乎滿到頂。
The sauce bottle was filled to overflowing for the picnic.
那瓶醬料為了野餐，被裝得滿到頂。
- half-fill
to put in only part of what the container can hold
文法句型
fill something to overflowing
pack something to overflowing
用法筆記
This meaning is mostly seen in the phrase 'to overflowing' after verbs such as 'fill', 'pack', or 'load'. It is less common than the ordinary verb senses above.
5. If a person, letter, or other expression overflows with a feeling or thought, it
洋溢
強烈流露情緒或想法
If a person, letter, or other expression overflows with a feeling or thought, it shows a great deal of it.
Nina overflowed with pride when her son played the first note.
兒子彈出第一個音時，Nina 臉上洋溢著自豪。
overflow with + feeling noun
The letter overflowed with thanks for the nurses at City Hospital.
那封信裡洋溢著對 City Hospital 護理師的感謝。
inanimate subject: letter overflowed with thanks
Aunt Rosa overflowed with relief after Ben finally apologized.
Ben 終於道歉後，Aunt Rosa 整個人都流露出如釋重負。
After the win, the captain overflowed with joy in every interview.
贏球後，隊長每次受訪都洋溢著喜悅。
The poem overflowed with anger after the factory accident.
工廠事故後，那首詩裡洋溢著憤怒。
- brim with
very close in meaning and also slightly literary
- bubble over
suggests feeling becoming hard to hold in
- burst with
stronger and more dramatic
文法句型
overflow with + feeling
overflow with + thoughts
用法筆記
Usually followed by 'with' plus a feeling or thought noun. This sense is more literary and more expressive than simply saying someone was very happy, angry, or thankful.
常見錯誤
overflow — 名詞
- overflowsingular
- overflowsplural
1. an extra amount of liquid, people, or other things that goes beyond what a space
外溢
超出空間的水、人潮或車流
an extra amount of liquid, people, or other things that goes beyond what a space can take.
Workers cleared the overflow from the basement after the storm.
工人在暴風雨後清掉地下室裡淹進來的積水。
noun: overflow from a place
Police guided the overflow into a second parking area.
警方把外溢的車流引導到第二停車區。
The hotel opened a side room for the overflow from dinner.
飯店為晚餐多出來的客人另外開了一間側廳。
Sandbags stopped the overflow from reaching the back door.
沙包擋住外溢的積水，沒讓水流到後門。
Volunteers served tea to the overflow waiting outside the hall.
志工端茶給在大廳外等候的溢出人潮。
- shortage
a situation where there is less than needed
文法句型
overflow from + place
overflow of + people or liquid
用法筆記
Often followed by 'from' to show where the extra liquid or people came from. It can refer to water, traffic, or people outside a full room or event.
2. a pipe for letting extra water out when a sink, tank, or similar container becom
溢流管
排走多餘水的管子
a pipe for letting extra water out when a sink, tank, or similar container becomes too full.
The plumber replaced the overflow under the bathroom sink.
水電工更換了浴室洗手台下面的溢流管。
collocation: sink overflow
Leaves blocked the overflow on the garden water tank.
葉子堵住了花園水箱上的溢流管。
Dad checked the overflow before filling the fish pond.
爸爸在往魚池加水前，先檢查了溢流管。
Rust had eaten through the old overflow behind the wall.
鏽蝕把牆後那根舊溢流管都咬穿了。
The overflow sends extra rainwater into the back drain.
這根溢流管會把多餘的雨水送進後面的排水溝。
- drain
a broader word for something that carries water away
- outlet
focuses on the place where water leaves rather than the whole pipe
- waste pipe
a clear technical term for a pipe that takes used or extra water away
文法句型
tank overflow
sink overflow
overflow for + container
用法筆記
Common in plumbing and water-tank contexts. In everyday speech, people may also say 'overflow pipe' when they want to make the meaning fully clear.