over the top

over the top idiom
  1. Surpassing a goal or quota, as in The new salesmen are excellent; they were over the top within the first six months. [Mid-1900s]
  2. Over the parapet of a military trench, as in The lieutenant sent fresh troops over the top. This usage dates from World War I.
  3. Extreme, outrageous, as in This comedian's style goes over the top. [Slang; late 1900s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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