too much

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English

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Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /tu ˈmʌtʃ/
  • Audio (UK):(file)

Adverb

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too much (not comparable)

  1. To a greater extent than is wanted or required; excessively.
    You talk (much/far/rather) too much.
    I was too much affected by their criticisms.
  2. To a sufficiently strong degree to prevent some other action from happening.
    I'm not leaving now ... I'm enjoying myself too much!

Translations

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Determiner

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too much

  1. More (of something) than is desirable or required.
    You ate too much cake at the party, and that's why you feel sick.
    There's far too much attention being paid to it.
    • 1989 January 27, Stephen Fry et al., “Doctor Tobacco”, in A Bit of Fry and Laurie, season 1, episode 3:
      Patient: ...too much is bad for you.
      Doctor: Well of course too much is bad for you, that's what "too much" means, you blithering twat. If you had too much water, it would be bad for you, wouldn't it? "Too much" precisely means that quantity which is excessive, that's what it means. Could you ever say "too much water is good for you"? I mean if it's too much it's too much. Too much of anything is too much. Obviously. Jesus.
  2. (in negative constructions) Much; even a moderate amount.
    They call it a beach, but there isn't too much sand there.

Usage notes

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Used with uncountable nouns. The countable equivalent is too many.

Adjective

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too much (not comparable)

  1. (informal) Amusing; entertaining.
    Oh, my dear, you really are too much.

Noun

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too much (uncountable)

  1. A quantity which is excessive to the point of being inappropriate, harmful, or overwhelming.
    You expect too much from your employees.
    • 1989 January 27, Stephen Fry et al., “Doctor Tobacco”, in A Bit of Fry and Laurie, season 1, episode 3:
      Patient: ...too much is bad for you.
      Doctor: Well of course too much is bad for you, that's what "too much" means, you blithering twat. If you had too much water, it would be bad for you, wouldn't it? "Too much" precisely means that quantity which is excessive, that's what it means. Could you ever say "too much water is good for you"? I mean if it's too much it's too much. Too much of anything is too much. Obviously. Jesus.
  2. Something that is absurdly funny or inappropriate.
    You really are too much!

Interjection

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too much!

  1. An expression of satisfaction.
    Too much, man! That was great!

Translations

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Derived terms

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See also

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French

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Etymology

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Borrowed from English too much.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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too much (invariable)

  1. (colloquial) too much, excessive, OTT
    • 1995, Frédéric Dard, Les huîtres me font bâiller:
      Tu vas gueuler que c’est too much ; que je sors de l’admissible.
      You're going to yell that this is too much – that I've gone beyond the bounds of probability.
    • 2013 May 31, Emmanuèle Peyret, “Tu me prètes ton soutif, cheri?”, in Libération[1], archived from the original on 8 June 2013:
      Oh ben volontiers un de chaque, mais pas le slip dentelle avec les jarretelles rouges, ça fait un peu too much.
      Go on then, one of each – but not the lace knickers with red suspenders, that's a bit OTT.

Usage notes

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  • Used predicatively.