[go] overboard
1
to be extreme or excessive in one's doings
The idiom "go overboard" is believed to originate from nautical terminology, where "overboard" refers to going over the side of a ship and into the water. Going overboard in this context would be an undesirable and potentially dangerous situation. In common usage, it can refer to spending too much money, showing excessive enthusiasm, or taking actions to an extreme degree. This idiom is widely used in both spoken and written English.
- She went overboard with the decorations for the party, turning her house into a fairy tale castle.
- Don't go overboard with your credit card; you'll regret it when the bills come.
- The manager went overboard in praising the team's efforts, making everyone feel appreciated.
- He tends to go overboard when it comes to cleaning, spending hours scrubbing every corner of the house.
- Going overboard on social media can lead to oversharing personal information.
2
from on board a vessel into the water
- Be careful standing so close to the edge—we don't want anyone to go overboard!