Associations to the word «Overkill»

Wiktionary

OVERKILL, noun. (literally) A destructive capacity that exceeds that needed to destroy an enemy; especially with nuclear weapons.
OVERKILL, noun. (idiomatic) An unnecessary excess of whatever is needed to achieve a goal.
OVERKILL, verb. (transitive) To destroy something with more (nuclear) force than is required.

Dictionary definition

OVERKILL, noun. The capability to obliterate a target with more weapons (especially nuclear weapons) than are required.
OVERKILL, noun. Any effort that seems to go farther than would be necessary to achieve its goal.

Wise words

In words, as fashions, the same rule will hold; Alike fantastic, if too new, or old: Be not the first by whom the new are tried, Nor yet the last to lay the old aside.
Alexander Pope