overtake

[ oh-ver-teyk ]
See synonyms for: overtakeovertakenovertook on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),o·ver·took [oh-ver-took], /ˌoʊ vərˈtʊk/, o·ver·tak·en, o·ver·tak·ing.
  1. to catch up with in traveling or pursuit; draw even with: By taking a cab to the next town, we managed to overtake and board the train.

  2. to catch up with and pass, as in a race; move by: He overtook the leader three laps from the finish.

  1. to move ahead of in achievement, production, score, etc.; surpass: to overtake all other countries in steel production.

  2. to happen to or befall someone suddenly or unexpectedly, as night, a storm, or death: The pounding rainstorm overtook them just outside the city.

verb (used without object),o·ver·took [oh-ver-took], /ˌoʊ vərˈtʊk/, o·ver·tak·en, o·ver·tak·ing.
  1. to pass another vehicle: Never overtake on a curve.

Origin of overtake

1
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English overtaken; see over-, take

Other words from overtake

  • un·o·ver·tak·en, adjective

Words Nearby overtake

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use overtake in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for overtake

overtake

/ (ˌəʊvəˈteɪk) /


verb-takes, -taking, -took or -taken
  1. mainly British to move past (another vehicle or person) travelling in the same direction

  2. (tr) to pass or do better than, after catching up with

  1. (tr) to come upon suddenly or unexpectedly: night overtook him

  2. (tr) to catch up with; draw level with

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012