Overall or overall ( one word ) means including everything; covering every part or facet, literally or figuratively--
Overall, the bridge is about 100 feet long.
After his vacation, he was left with an overall sense of well-being.
Over all or over all ( two words ) means above in place or position ( over ) everything or everyone ( all )--
The same sun shines over all of the Earth, but not at the same time.
Over all may also mean through all of ( over ) everything ( all )--
I'll get back to you in a day or two, when I have looked over all of the papers you sent.
Over all may also mean covering ( over ) everything ot everyone ( all )--
Find a blanket big enough to spread over all of the children.
Overhaul or overhaul ( rhymes with overall ) means to check all parts and perform necessary repairs and maintenance, literally or figuratively--
We will have to overhaul the furnace before the weather gets cold.
The board is planning to overhaul the company bylaws.
Now that you know that, you can say--
"We've looked over all the records, and we'll need to have an overall safety check, and we'll schedule an overhaul of the machinery."
Note--"overalls" means a garment with trousers attached to a bib, held up by straps--
The baby needs some overalls now that he's crawling; pants slow him down.
He looked like a farmer, in denim overalls and a straw hat.
Not to be confused with "overhauls", the third person singular ( he, she, it ) form of "overhaul", meaning to check all parts and repair where necessary--
Our mechanic overhauls the car every year before we go on vacation.
Words that sound the same when we speak may actually be two different words--which matters when we write them down. Spellcheck cannot help with this--it will show each word and the writer has to choose--to disambiguate them, if you will. I intend to update this daily, with another set of words it is possible to confuse, beginning with the simplest and most important. Questions and comments are welcome.
Showing posts with label overall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label overall. Show all posts
Monday, May 11, 2015
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