overcall

O1V4E1R1C3A1L1L1
UK/ˌəʊvəˈkɔːl/US/ˌoʊvɚˈkɔl/UK/ˈəʊvəˌkɔːl/US/ˈoʊvɚˌkɔl/

verb

To call a bet after another player has already called

“Jill bet, Tommy called, and Julie overcalled.”

Similar
RareScrabble 13

Meanings

verbovercall (third-person singular simple present overcalls, present participle overcalling, simple past and past participle overcalled)

present singular third person overcalls · participle present overcalling · participle past overcalled · past overcalled

  1. bridgeTo call a bet after another player has already called

    Jill bet, Tommy called, and Julie overcalled.

  2. medicineTo diagnose a condition that does not, in fact, exist.

    Because these lesions often spontaneously regress, care must be taken to not overcall these lesions on FNA.

    2015, Syed Z. Ali, Christopher J. VandenBussche, Cytopathology Case Review, →ISBN, page 180
    2 more examples

    Knowledge of the ultrasound findings is important, and appreciating the fetal ultrasound may often undercall or (more often) overcall anomalies.

    2010, Allen P. Burke, Fabio Tavora, Practical Cardiovascular Pathology, →ISBN, page 12

    It's also possible to overcall PSC when motion artifact on the long respiratory-triggered acquisitions leads to the appearance of pseudo-strictures.

    2014, Christine U.C. Lee, James Glockner, Mayo Clinic Body MRI Case Review, →ISBN
nounovercall (plural overcalls)

plural overcalls

  1. bridgeA call which occurs after another player has already called
  2. contract lawAn additional contribution required of investors beyond the initial investment, should unforeseen expenses arise.

    Respondent further asserts that the only reason the overcall provision was included in the partnership agreement was to circumvent the provisions of section 465.

    1993, Tax Court Memorandum Decisions - Volume 64, page 821
    2 more examples

    For the purposes of the Contract, "Production Costs" shall mean the estimated costs of producing the Principal Company (including any contingency reserves), as described in the documents used in connection with the financing of such Company, including costs that may be paid, if permitted by the terms of such documents, by an overcall demand on investors, but not including any weekly expenses.

    2006, Thomas D. Selz, Melvin Simensky, Patricia Nassif Acton, Entertainment Law: Legal Concepts and Business Practices

    On May 23, Levin drew up a suggested deal with CBS, whereby they would put up $300,000 plus an overcall of 20 percent ($60,000); CBS would get the rights to televise the show, while the stage version would get television and radio publicity, with the possibility of television coverage of the opening night.

    2012, Dominic McHugh, Loverly: The Life and Times of My Fair Lady, →ISBN
  3. An extra amount called up beyond the minimum required.

    Was the overcall made with the intent of depriving nonintegrated users aluminum from the new facilities?

    1956, Aluminum Industry, page 421
    2 more examples

    An overcall should be arranged with Corps Area Headquarters so that a sufficient number of men will be physically examined to produce the net specified on the order referred to above.

    1948, Mardelle L. Clark, Richard H. Eanes, Physical Examination of Selective Service Registrants

    It has been noted that in some States the Negro overcall percentage has been the same as the white overcall percentage.

    1953, United States. Selective Service System, Special Groups - Volume 2, page 15
  4. An additional creative product that a producer can require at the producer's option during the contract period.

    Artists should always view contracts referring to overcall recordings with care, if not outright suspicion.

    2005, Richard Schulenberg, Legal Aspects of the Music Industry: An Insider's View, page 47
    2 more examples

    Third, the nine-month period between delivery of the overcall recording and the expiration of that particular contract period can and should be reduced.

    1986, Alan H. Siegel, Breakin' in to the Music Business, →ISBN, page 110

    Most majors require one album in each contract period, with the option to ask for a second, or overcall, album if they wish.

    1990, Wayne Wadhams, Sound Advice: The Musician's Guide to the Record Industry, page 164
  5. medicineA positive diagnosis when there is, in fact, nothing wrong.

    However, the rigid cores' appearance on smears and the intact reticulin fiber network on cell block will prevent the overcall.

    2008, Marluce Bibbo, David Wilbur, Comprehensive Cytopathology, →ISBN, page 884
    2 more examples

    According to published data, screening with chemiluminescence, as opposed to other light sources, imparts the lowest overcall rate.

    2002, Barbara S. Apgar, Gregory L. Brotzman, Mark Spitzer, Colposcopy, Principles and Practice: An Integrated Textbook and Atlas, →ISBN

    A complete history may be important to avoid making an overcall, although cases of coexisting SQC and pemphigus vulgaris have been reported.

    2009, Edmund S. Cibas, Barbara S. Ducatman, Cytology E-Book: Diagnostic Principles and Clinical Correlates, →ISBN

Synonyms & antonyms

noun(bridge) a bid that is higher than your opponent's bid (especially when your partner has not bid at all and your bid exceeds the value of your hand)

Similar
Broader
Also see

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*úp
  2. Proto-Indo-European*upér
  3. Proto-Germanic*uber
  4. Old Englishofer-
  5. Middle Englishover-
  6. Englishover-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*gels-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*golsos
  9. Proto-Germanic*kalzaz
  10. Proto-Germanic*kalzōną
  11. Proto-West Germanic*kalʀōn
  12. Old Englishceallian
  13. Old English*callian
  14. Middle Englishcallen
  15. Englishcall
  16. Englishovercall

From over- + call.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with overcall

All rhymes →

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

overcall. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overcall

MLA

“overcall.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overcall. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “overcall,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overcall.

Source: overcall on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.