overhaul
verb /əʊvəˈhɔːl 
/ [with object]
/ [with object]1Take apart (a piece of machinery or equipment) in order to examine it and repair it if necessary: the steering box was recently overhauled...
- As a result we have been maintaining and overhauling these engines for 25 years.
- Around 250 jobs in the division, which maintains, repairs and overhauls gas turbines, are being cut as part of a rationalisation plan.
- Alex and his son have completely and utterly overhauled this machine over a period of two and a half years in what was painstaking work.
Synonyms
service, maintain, repair, mend, fix up, patch up, rebuild, renovate, revamp, recondition, remodel, refit, refurbish, modernize;
regulate, adjust;
check, check out, check over, check up on, give something a check-up, investigate, inspect, examine, survey;
revise, update, reconsider, rework, restructure, realign, shake up;
Northern English fettle
informal do up
1.1Analyse and improve (a system): moves to overhaul the income tax system...
- Its arrival has not yielded a new Constitution, rationalised the party system, modernised justice or overhauled the bureaucracy in any of the ways its advocates hoped it would.
- They are going to have to overhaul the welfare system.
- He has more to do to overhaul the welfare system and public services in this country.
2British Overtake (someone), especially in a sporting event: Jodami overhauled his chief rival...
- Needing to finish four places ahead of Paul Foerster and Kevin Burnham, the British pair were unable to overhaul their American rivals.
- With our young players we would have a great base to build on and could overhaul our rivals.
- He overhauled team-mate Andy Burt, but always had too much to do to catch Hilton.
Synonyms
overtake, pass, get past, go past, go by, go faster than, get/pull ahead of, outdistance, outstrip;
gain on, catch up with, draw level with;
British undertake
noun /ˈəʊvəhɔːl /
/A thorough examination of machinery or a system, with repairs or changes made if necessary: a major overhaul of environmental policies...
- They can only be honestly confronted by a thorough overhaul of the system the minister will be asked to control.
- If Indonesia wants to have an internationally competitive workforce, a major overhaul of its educational system is only the first step in a long process that lies ahead.
- A new report charges that Ontario's food safety system needs a major overhaul.
Origin
Early 17th century (originally in nautical use in the sense 'release rope tackle by slackening'): from over- + haul.