Overshoot" src="http://www.typographydeconstructed.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/overshoot-white.gif" alt="" width="190" height="190" />Ascenders extending into the space of a following character.

Formally, it is the degree to which capital letters go below the baseline or above the cap height, or to which a lowercase letter goes below the baseline or above the x-height.

For example, the highest and lowest extent of the capital O will typically exceed those of the capital X. Although the extent of overshoot varies depending on the design and the designer, perhaps 1% to 3% of the cap or x-height is typical for O. Peter Karow's Digital Formats for Typefaces recommends 3% for O and 5% for A.

mw Reference

to shoot or pass over or beyond so as to miss