overdruk
Dutch
overdruk
Polysemous term with distinct meanings across technical domains:
- (Pressure) Drukniveau boven de atmosferische druk; druk gemeten ten opzichte van de omgevingsdruk.
- (Printing) Afdruk over een bestaande afdruk heen; opdruk.
- (Publishing) Aparte afdruk van een artikel uit een tijdschrift of verzamelwerk.
English equivalents by domain
1. Pressure measurement and process engineering
Preferred term
- gauge pressure
Definition
gauge pressure
Pressure measured relative to ambient atmospheric pressure. A gauge pressure of zero corresponds to atmospheric pressure. This is the standard term in process engineering, mechanical engineering, and instrumentation.
Reference:
'gauge pressure', A Dictionary of Mechanical Engineering (2nd ed.), Oxford University Press, 2019: "level of static pressure above the ambient pressure"
Other variants
| Term | Usage notes |
|---|---|
| overpressure | General usage; also for transient pressure events (explosions, surges) |
| superpressure | Rare; meteorological contexts (e.g., superpressure balloons) |
| excess pressure | Older usage; still found in some technical literature |
| positive pressure | HVAC, cleanrooms, medical contexts |
| pressure above atmospheric | Descriptive; not a fixed term |
Domain-specific guidance
| Context | Preferred English term |
|---|---|
| Process engineering (distillation, evaporation, reactors) | gauge pressure |
| Instrumentation, pressure gauges | gauge pressure |
| HVAC, ventilation, cleanrooms | positive pressure |
| Medical (respiratory therapy, isolation rooms) | positive pressure |
| Safety systems, pressure relief | overpressure |
| Blast physics, explosions | overpressure |
| Meteorology (balloons) | superpressure |
| General/regulatory texts | overpressure (acceptable) |
2. HVAC, ventilation and building services
Preferred terms
- positive pressure
- overpressure
Definition
A space maintained at a pressure higher than its surroundings, causing air to flow outward and preventing ingress of contaminants. Used in cleanrooms, hospital isolation rooms, laboratories, and stairwell pressurisation systems.
Examples
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| De operatiekamer staat op overdruk. | The operating theatre is maintained at positive pressure. |
| Het trappenhuis wordt op overdruk gehouden bij brand. | The stairwell is kept at overpressure / positive pressure in case of fire. |
3. Safety engineering and explosion protection
Preferred term
- overpressure
Definition
Transient pressure above ambient, typically resulting from explosions, deflagrations, or pressure surges. Also used for pressure thresholds that trigger safety devices.
Examples
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| De overdrukbeveiliging activeert bij 1.5 bar. | The overpressure protection activates at 1.5 bar. |
| De explosie veroorzaakte een overdruk van 0.3 bar. | The explosion caused an overpressure of 0.3 bar. |
4. Printing (grafische industrie)
Preferred terms
- overprint
- surprint
Definition
Printing over an existing printed image or text, either intentionally (for colour effects, security features) or as a defect.
Examples
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| De zwarte tekst is in overdruk op de kleurenafbeelding aangebracht. | The black text is overprinted on the colour image. |
| een overdruk van een postzegel | an overprint on a postage stamp |
5. Publishing (uitgeverij)
Preferred terms
- offprint
- reprint
- separate
Definition
A separately printed copy of an article or chapter originally published as part of a journal or collected volume, often for distribution by the author.
Examples
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| De auteur ontving 50 overdrukken van zijn artikel. | The author received 50 offprints of his article. |
| een overdruk uit een wetenschappelijk tijdschrift | an offprint from a scientific journal |
6. Textiles and surface treatment
Preferred term
- overprint
- surface print
Definition
A print applied over a base layer or existing pattern on fabric or other materials.
Antonyms
| Dutch | English | Domain |
|---|---|---|
| onderdruk | negative pressure, vacuum, subatmospheric pressure | Pressure measurement |
| onderdruk | negative pressure | HVAC (isolation rooms) |
Usage notes for translators
Pressure contexts: gauge pressure vs overpressure
The distinction matters:
- Gauge pressure — steady-state operating parameter, read on a pressure gauge
- Overpressure — pressure event, safety threshold, or general term
For patent translation in process engineering, prefer "gauge pressure" for operating parameters. Use "overpressure" for safety devices and transient events.
Printing vs publishing
Both domains use "overdruk" in Dutch, but the English terms are entirely different:
- Printing → overprint
- Publishing → offprint / reprint
Context will always disambiguate.
Examples (consolidated)
| Dutch | English | Domain |
|---|---|---|
| De destillatiekolom werkt bij een overdruk van 0.04 bar. | The distillation column operates at a gauge pressure of 0.04 bar. | Process engineering |
| De ruimte staat op overdruk. | The room is maintained at positive pressure. | HVAC |
| De overdrukklep opent bij 2 bar. | The overpressure valve opens at 2 bar. | Safety engineering |
| een overdruk op een postzegel | an overprint on a stamp | Printing / philately |
| De auteur bestelde 25 overdrukken. | The author ordered 25 offprints. | Publishing |
External links
- IATE: gauge pressure (Entry 1097403)
https://iate.europa.eu - IATE: overpressure (Entry 1085347)
https://iate.europa.eu - IATE: overprint (Entry 1350774)
https://iate.europa.eu - IATE: offprint / reprint (Entry 1615116)
https://iate.europa.eu - Wikipedia: Pressure measurement
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pressure_measurement - Wikipedia: Offprint
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offprint
References
-
'gauge pressure', A Dictionary of Mechanical Engineering (2nd ed.), Oxford University Press, 2019 ↩
-
Graham P. Oxtoby, Comprehensive Dictionary of Industry and Technology ↩
-
IATE – Interactive Terminology for Europe ↩
-
ir. A. Koot, Behandeling van Afvalwater, Delft (for related process engineering terminology) ↩