cooked too much or for too long, or having gone too far in some way; excessive or exaggerated.
From 'over-' (excessively) + 'done' (past participle of 'do'). The cooking sense dates back to at least the 1600s, while the figurative sense of 'exaggerated' developed later.
Some cultures traditionally overcook meat for safety and taste preferences, while others prefer it rare—what one country considers 'overdone' is another country's perfect meal, which shows how much food preferences are cultural rather than objectively 'right.'
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