Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
You use ~ to indicate that you are talking about a situation in general or about the whole of something.
...the ~ rise in unemployment...
Cut down your ~ amount of physical activity...
ADJ: ADJ n
•
Overall is also an adverb.
Overall I was disappointed...
The college has few ways to assess the quality of education ~.
ADV: ADV with cl
2.
Overalls consist of a single piece of clothing that combines trousers and a jacket. You wear ~s over your clothes in order to protect them while you are working.
...workers in blue ~s.
N-PLURAL: also a pair of N
3.
Overalls are trousers that are attached to a piece of cloth which covers your chest and which has straps going over your shoulders. (AM; in BRIT, use dungarees )
An elderly man dressed in faded ~s took the witness stand.
N-PLURAL: also a pair of N
4.
An ~ is a piece of clothing shaped like a coat that you wear over your clothes in order to protect them while you are working. (BRIT)
N-COUNT