Word Study
overtake
CIDE DICTIONARY
overtake, v. t.
- To come up with in a race, pursuit, progress, or motion; [1913 Webster]"Follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say . . . Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good." [1913 Webster]"He had him overtaken in his flight." [1913 Webster]
- To surpass in production, achievement, etc.; as, although out of school for half a year due to illness, the student returned and overtook all the others to finish as valedictorian. [PJC]
- To come upon from behind; to discover; to surprise; to capture; to overcome. [1913 Webster]"If a man be overtaken in a fault." [1913 Webster]"I shall see
The winged vengeance overtake such children." [1913 Webster] - Hence, figuratively, in the past participle (overtaken), drunken. Holland. [1913 Webster]
- To frustrate or render impossible or irrelevant; -- used mostly of plans, and commonly in the phrase
overtaken by events ; as, their careful marketing plan was overtaken by events. [PJC]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
overtake, v.tr. (past -took; past part. -taken)
1 (also absol.) catch up with and pass in the same direction.
2 (of a storm, misfortune, etc.) come suddenly or unexpectedly upon.
3 become level with and exceed (a compared value etc.).
1 (also absol.) catch up with and pass in the same direction.
2 (of a storm, misfortune, etc.) come suddenly or unexpectedly upon.
3 become level with and exceed (a compared value etc.).
THESAURUS
overtake
attend, befall, booze up, boozify, catch up with, come after, come up to, come up with, come upon, crock, displace, emanate, ensue, follow after, follow up, fuddle, gain on, gain upon, go after, hit, issue, lap, leave behind, leave standing, outdistance, outpace, outrun, outsail, outstrip, overhaul, overwhelm, pass, pickle, plaster, pollute, reach, replace, result, seize, souse, stew, stone, strike, succeed, supervene, swack, take, tipsify, track, trailROGET THESAURUS
overtake
Arrival
VB arrive, get to, come to, come, reach, attain, come up with, come up to, overtake, make, fetch, complete, join, rejoin, light, alight, dismount, land, go ashore, debark, disembark, put in, put into, visit, cast anchor, pitch one's tent, sit down, get to one's journey's end, make the land, be in at the death, come back, get back, come home, get home, return, come in, make one's appearance, drop in, detrain, deplane, outspan, de-orbit, come to hand, come at, come across, hit, come upon, light upon, pop upon, bounce upon, plump upon, burst upon, pitch upon, meet, encounter, rencounter, come in contact.For further exploring for "overtake" in Webster Dictionary Online