How do you use "Over the top" in a sentence?

His reaction was completely over the top. The decorations were a bit over the top. Don't you think that's over the top?

Over the top

Q: What does "Over the top" mean?

Excessive; originally leaving the trench to attack Originally WWI military term for soldiers climbing out of trenches to attack. Now used to describe anything excessive, exaggerated, or extreme.

Slang Term BritishAmericanAustralian ★★★★★ Very Common Casual

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Meaning: Excessive; originally leaving the trench to attack

过分的；最初指离开战壕发起进攻

Excesivo; originalmente salir de la trinchera para atacar

過度な、大げさな（元々は塹壕を越えて攻撃すること）

과도한, 지나친 (원래는 참호를 넘어 공격하는 것)

Originally WWI military term for soldiers climbing out of trenches to attack. Now used to describe anything excessive, exaggerated, or extreme.

最初是一战军事术语，指士兵翻出战壕发起进攻。现在用来形容任何过度、夸张或极端的事物。

Originalmente un término militar de la Primera Guerra Mundial para los soldados que salían de las trincheras para atacar. Ahora se usa para describir cualquier cosa excesiva, exagerada o extrema.

元々は第一次世界大戦で兵士が塹壕を越えて攻撃に出ることを指す軍事用語。現在は何かが過度、大げさ、極端であることを表す。

원래 1차 세계대전에서 병사들이 참호를 넘어 공격하는 것을 뜻하는 군사 용어였다. 현재는 과도하거나 과장된, 극단적인 것을 묘사할 때 사용한다.

Examples

His reaction was completely over the top.
他的反应完全过头了
Su reacción fue completamente exagerada
彼の反応は完全にやりすぎだった
그의 반응은 완전히 과했어.
The decorations were a bit over the top.
装饰有点太过了
La decoración era un poco excesiva
装飾がちょっとやりすぎだった
장식이 좀 과했어.
Don't you think that's over the top?
你不觉得那太过分了吗？
¿No te parece exagerado?
それはやりすぎだと思わない？
그건 좀 지나치다고 생각하지 않아?

Pronunciation

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, informal

Tone: critical, humorous

✓ Do Say

A bit over the top
有点过了
Un poco excesivo
ちょっとやりすぎ
좀 과한
That's OTT
太过了
Eso es pasarse
それはやりすぎ
그건 OTT야

✗ Don't Say

Universally understood
广泛理解的表达
Universalmente entendido
広く理解されている表現
널리 통용되는 표현

Common Mistakes

Forgetting the serious military origin

Origin & History

From WWI trench warfare. Soldiers would go 'over the top' of their trench parapet to advance across no man's land toward enemy lines—often with devastating casualties. The phrase's sense of 'excessive' comes from this extreme action.

Etymology: WWI trench warfare term

First recorded: 1916 WWI, figurative use later

Cultural Context

Era: WWI origin, current universal use

Generation: All generations

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: WWI films; Blackadder

Regional notes: Universal English, British origin.

Variations

Over the topOTT