overflow

o|ver|flow1 [ ,ouvər`flou ] verb intransitive or transitive

1. ) to flow over the top of a container because it is too full:

The bathtub's overflowing!

overflow with: ashtrays overflowing with cigarette ends

a ) if a river or lake overflows, it floods the land next to it:

The river has overflowed its banks.

2. ) if a place overflows with people, or if people overflow a place, there are too many of them to fit into it:

The crowd began to overflow the hall.

overflow with: hospitals overflowing with victims of the earthquake

3. ) to feel an emotion very strongly:

overflow with: Her heart was overflowing with joy.

overflow

o|ver|flow 2 [ `ouvər,flou ] noun count

1. ) an extra amount of people or things that do not fit into a particular space:

Will this room be big enough to accommodate the overflow?

2. ) a hole or pipe that allows a substance to flow out of a container, when it gets too full

a ) something that provides extra space when another space becomes full