overshoot

Noun

overshoot (countable and uncountable, plural overshoots)

1. (countable) The amount by which something goes too far.
   • Let's see if we can predict and correct for the overshoot.
2. The situation where the population of a species exceeds its environment's carrying capacity.
   • With appropriate choice and action such uncontrolled decline could be avoided; overshoot could instead be resolved by a conscious effort to reduce humanity's demand on the planet.2004, Donella Meadows, Jorgen Randers, Dennis Meadows, “Author's preface”, in Limits to Growth: The 30-Year Update, →ISBN
   • Population overshoot is therefore unlikely to yield to management. Rather, the usual suspects will enter the scene and do their thing: starvation, disease, […] violence […] [and] death […].2012, James Howard Kunstler, “Where We're at”, in Too Much Magic, →ISBN
3. The portion of a letter extending above the capline of other letters of the same font, or the relative degree of such extent.
   • The portion resting beyond the capline or baseline is called overshoot.2019, Reece Patton, Formatting for Print
   • The bowl of the D and the O are usually not identical, as most D forms do not have overshoot or undershoot.2020, Karen Cheng, Designing Type, 2nd edition, page 88

Verb

UK/ˌəʊ.vəˈʃuːt/US/ˌoʊ.vɚˈʃut/

overshoot (third-person singular simple present overshoots, present participle overshooting, simple past and past participle overshot)

1. To go past something; to go too far.
   • When you drive, you must remember to not overshoot the parking space and end up with two wheels over the line.
   • As a result of the accident at Southend Airport when a Hermes aircraft overshot the runway and fouled the down Shenfield to Southend Victoria line between Rochford and Prittlewell, the Eastern Region is considering warning arrangements, which have already been provided on some lines running past...1961 November, “Talking of Trains: Aircraft on rail tracks”, in Trains Illustrated, page 650
2. To shoot beyond; to shoot too far to hit something.
   • not to overshoot his game1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London
3. To pass swiftly over; to fly beyond.
4. (figuratively) To exceed.
   • to overshoot the truth
   • That fire abated that impells rash youth,
     Proud of his speed to overshoot the truth,1782, William Cowper, “Conversation”, in Poems: by William Cowper, of the Inner Temple, Esq., →OCLC

   Synonyms:

   overrun

5. (reflexive) To venture too far; to overreach (oneself).
6. To record too much photographic footage.