overdrawn

The bank account is overdrawn because of an unexpected bill.

Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Exceeding a credit balance: "overdrawn" describes a bank account that has had more money withdrawn than it contains, resulting in a negative balance.
   • Exaggerated or overstated: "overdrawn" can also describe a portrayal or description that is exaggerated to the point of being unrealistic or distorted.

2. Verb (past participle of "overdraw"):

   • To withdraw more than is available: Used as the past participle of "overdraw," meaning to take out more money from a bank account than is deposited.
   • To exaggerate: Used figuratively to mean to describe something in an overly dramatic or inflated way.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • My account is overdrawn by fifty dollars. (The account has a negative balance due to excessive withdrawals.)
  • The character in the novel is overdrawn, making him seem cartoonish. (The character is exaggerated beyond believability.)

• Verb (past participle):

  • She has overdrawn her account twice this month. (She has withdrawn more money than she had in the bank.)
  • The reporter overdrawn the situation to create more drama. (The reporter exaggerated the events.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be overdrawn": to have a negative bank balance.

  • If you are overdrawn, the bank may charge a fee. (If your account is in deficit, penalties apply.)

• "overdrawn at the bank": a specific financial state.

  • He was constantly overdrawn at the bank, leading to financial stress. (He regularly had insufficient funds.)

Variants and Related Words

• Overdraw (verb): the base verb meaning to withdraw more than is available or to exaggerate.

  • Do not overdraw your account; it can lead to penalties. (Do not withdraw more than your balance.)

• Overdraft (noun): a facility that allows an account to be overdrawn, or the amount by which it is overdrawn.

  • The bank approved a small overdraft for emergency expenses. (A loan-like arrangement to cover negative balances.)

Synonyms

• In deficit: having a negative balance.

  • The account is in deficit due to recent withdrawals. (The balance is below zero.)

• Exaggerated: overstated or inflated beyond the truth.

  • His claims were exaggerated and not based on facts. (Overdrawn in a figurative sense.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Overdraw on: to withdraw more than is available from a specific source.
  • He overdraw on his savings account to pay the rent. (He took out more than was saved.)

Related Idioms

• In the red: a colloquial term meaning an account is overdrawn.

  • My account is in the red this month. (The balance is negative.)

• Borrowed time: an idiom not directly related but sometimes used with "overdrawn" metaphorically (e.g., "living on borrowed time" implies exceeding a limit, similar to an overdrawn account).