overshoe

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A waterproof cover worn over an ordinary shoe to keep it dry and clean in rain, mud or snow.

   Grammar: Countable, and usually plural: a pair of overshoes.

   Patterns

   • a pair of overshoes
   • wear overshoes

   He pulled rubber overshoes over his good leather shoes.

   The visitors were given plastic overshoes before entering the clean room.

   She kept a pair of overshoes by the door for snowy days.

2. 2nouncountablemedical

   A disposable cover for shoes worn in a hospital or lab to avoid carrying in dirt.

   Grammar: Usually plural and often called shoe covers.

   Patterns

   • put on overshoes

   Surgeons wear overshoes in the operating theatre.

   Please put on the paper overshoes before you go in.

   The inspector slipped blue overshoes over his boots.

Word forms

Common combinations

a pair of overshoes

She bought a pair of overshoes for the winter.

rubber overshoes

Rubber overshoes kept his feet dry.

put on overshoes

Put on overshoes before entering the lab.

plastic overshoes

Visitors must wear plastic overshoes.

waterproof overshoes

The waterproof overshoes folded flat into his bag.

Synonyms and how they differ

galoshes

Galoshes are rubber overshoes, often high and thick, so they are a specific kind of overshoe.

shoe covers

Shoe covers is the everyday term for the thin disposable type used in hospitals, while overshoe is a more general word.

rubbers

Rubbers is an old-fashioned American word for rubber overshoes; it can be misunderstood today.

boots

Boots replace shoes altogether, whereas overshoes are worn on top of them.

Word family

shoe noun

footwear that covers the foot

overcoat noun

a warm coat worn over other clothes

over preposition

above or covering

shoemaker noun

a person who makes shoes

Commonly confused: overshoe or overshoot?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “overshoe”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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