overdrive

go into overdrive

To start working very hard or quickly. When the publishing deadline was moved up a week, we had to go into overdrive to get all of the articles done on time.
See also: go, overdrive

in overdrive

In an extremely energetic, hardworking, or effective state or condition. Our team has been in overdrive trying to get the project finished on time. With only a few minutes left on the clock, their offense has gone into overdrive.
See also: overdrive

into overdrive

Into an extremely energetic, hardworking, or effective state or condition. Our team has gone into overdrive trying to get the project finished on time.
See also: overdrive

Mexican overdrive

slang The act of coasting downhill in an automobile with the gears in neutral, with the aim of either saving fuel or making the vehicle go faster than would otherwise be possible. He rolled down the mountain in Mexican overdrive, but as he reached a bend in the road, the truck was going too fast, and it went careering through the guard rails and into the ravine.
See also: Mexican, overdrive
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

go into overdrive

COMMON If someone or something goes into overdrive, they begin to work very hard or become very active. When the wedding was announced, the media went into overdrive. My imagination went into overdrive. I tried to make new dishes, not from recipe books but from books about wild plants. Note: You can also say that someone or something is in overdrive. The campaign is in overdrive now with the candidates travelling the nation in a final push for votes. Note: Overdrive is an extra gear on some vehicles, which enables them to go faster than they can with ordinary gears.
See also: go, overdrive
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

Mexican overdrive

the neutral gear position used when coasting downhill. US informal
This expression originated in the mid 20th century, especially in language used by long-distance truck drivers.
See also: Mexican, overdrive
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

go, etc. into ˈoverdrive

begin to work much harder, increase production, etc: Production at the factory has shifted into overdrive in an attempt to meet the new orders on time.
Overdrive is an extra high gear in a vehicle, that you use when you are driving at high speeds.
See also: overdrive
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • go into overdrive
  • go, etc. into overdrive
  • run around like a chicken with its head cut off
  • run around like a chicken with its head cut off and run in circles
  • run around like a headless chicken
  • in overdrive
  • into overdrive
  • one's start
  • start
  • (one's) start
References in periodicals archive
"Overdrive has always been at the forefront of auto enthusiasm and tying up with Ducati and offering this chance to win the Monster 795 by subscribing to Overdrive is just an extension of the same enthusiasm.
Ducati India and Overdrive launch 'Monster in my Porch'
Phadnis and his colleagues first got a whiff of overdrive's selfish nature from a rare observation.
Evolution's wedges: finding the genes that drive one species into two
"RMT has a strong relationship with Overdrive and we look forward to helping it manage ongoing growth and expansion as the motoring sector continues its recovery."
Dealer's profits up after cold snap
"In a bid to make CG Overdrive more accessible to professionals, the event will be held over the weekend from Friday to Sunday in the heart of the city," adds Lai.
CG Overdrive Undergoes Metamorphosis; Definitive Computer Graphics Event Evolves to Offer More to Rapidly Growing Asian CG Industry
Held in conjunction with BroadcastAsia2009, CG Overdrive 2009 is organised by Visual Communication Order (VCO) with strategic partner Singapore Exhibition Services (SES), and is held from 16 -19 June at the Singapore Expo Hall 9.
More CG Schools Showcasing for the First Time at CG Overdrive 2009
OverDrive also recently signed an agreement with BBC Audiobooks to make digital audio book titles available to libraries in the UK and other territories, which the company says complements the thousands of audio books and e-books already available to UK libraries.
OverDrive expands distribution in the UK
The levels of nail overdrive were selected to encompass the range encountered in the conducted survey, to cover adequately the normal range of depths to which nails are overdriven, and to give a reasonable spread of values.
Capacity of oriented strandboard joints with overdriven nails
The Overdrive PC SmallBlock series is a compact system perfect for small spaces or LAN gaming, starting at $1499.
OVERDRIVE PC LAUNCHES HYPERCLOCKING PRODUCT LINE
Atrial overdrive pacing for the obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome.
Diagnosis of sleep apnea with A CPAP
Everything about you goes into overdrive, naturally.
Motor Racing: Hero Hamilton has the brain to be next world champion; TESTED REVVED UP F1 SPECIAL
Randall-Reilly Publishing (Tuscaloosa, AL), the publisher of such titles as "Truckers News Magazine," "Overdrive" and "Equipment World," has begun the publication of "Total Landscape Care" with an issue in November.
"Total Landscape Care" from Randall-Reilly
The New Hampshire State Library, in conjunction with digital media provider Overdrive Inc.
Now hear this!
The award was presented by digital media vendor, OverDrive Inc., at Digipalooza 2006, the group's first national user group meeting for librarians.
NAR honored with digital media award
The use of atrial overdrive pacing proved ineffective in most cases of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome, while nasal continuous positive airway pressure showed strong efficacy, according to a comparison study by Greek researchers.
Atrial pacing ineffective in obstructive sleep apnea, hypopnea
After 48 hours, half of the patients had their pacemakers programmed for atrial overdrive pacing, with pacing at a rate greater than 15 beats per minute or greater than their normal nocturnal heart rate.
OSA-hypopnea syndrome: atrial overdrive pacing not useful