Dictionary

overtake en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈəʊ̯vəːteɪ̯k/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈoʊ̯vɚteɪ̯k/ (Canada, General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English overtaken, likely a replacement alteration (as the Middle English verb taken replaced nimen (“to take”)), of Middle English overnimen (“to overtake”), from Old English oferniman (“to take by surprise, overtake”), equivalent to over- + take.

Meanings

1. An act of overtaking; an overtaking maneuver.
   • There wasn't enough distance left before the bend for an overtake, so I had to trundle behind the tractor for another mile.

Forms

overtake en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /əʊ̯vəːˈteɪ̯k/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /oʊ̯vɚˈteɪ̯k/ (Canada, General-American)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English overtaken, likely a replacement alteration (as the Middle English verb taken replaced nimen (“to take”)), of Middle English overnimen (“to overtake”), from Old English oferniman (“to take by surprise, overtake”), equivalent to over- + take.

Meanings

1. To pass a slower moving object or entity (on the side closest to oncoming traffic).
   • The station is planned to include platform loops enabling fast trains to overtake slower ones and is expected to be served by at least four trains per hour towards London. 2019 October, “Funding for 20tph East London service”, in Modern Railways, page 18:
   • "I won't over-walk myself," he said, cheerfully. "If the coach doesn't overtake me on the road, I can wait for it where I stop to breakfast. Dry your eyes, my dear; and give me a kiss." 1862, [William] Wilkie Collins, chapter II, in No Name. […], volume II, London: Sampson Low, Son, & Co., […], →OCLC, 4th (Aldborough, Suffolk), pages 176–177:
   • The car was so slow we were overtaken by a bus.
   • The racehorse overtook the lead pack on the last turn.
2. (transitive) To become greater than something else in quantity, worth, etc.
   • Grocery sales in the north have overtaken those in the south.
3. To take by surprise; surprise and overcome; carry away.
   • VVhy didſt thou promiſe ſuch a beautious day, / And make me trauaile forth vvithout my cloake, / To let bace cloudes ore-take me in my vvay, / Hiding thy brau'ry in their rotten ſmoke. 1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 34”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC:
   • Our plans were overtaken by events.

Forms

Antonyms

undertake[curbside]]>

Deriveds

overtaker · overtakable · reovertake · overtakeless

Relateds

Not to be confused with take over · exceed · surpass

Synonyms

forge

Translations (88)

pt ultrapassar (to pass a more slowly moving object) · nn køyre forbi (to pass a more slowly moving object) · rup antrec (to pass a more slowly moving object) · gl superar (economics: to become greater than something else) · fi kasvaa suuremmaksi kuin (economics: to become greater than something else) · grc φθάνω (to pass a more slowly moving object) · ar سَبَقَ (to pass a more slowly moving object) · hy աբգոն անել (to pass a more slowly moving object) · lt aplenkti (to pass a more slowly moving object) · fi muuttaa (to occur unexpectedly take by surprise; surprise and overcome) · hy վազանց անել (to pass a more slowly moving object) · ru обгоня́ть (to pass a more slowly moving object) · it superare (economics: to become greater than something else) · cmn 賽過 /赛过 (to pass a more slowly moving object) · acw سَبَق (to pass a more slowly moving object) · fr doubler (to pass a more slowly moving object) · sk dobehnúť (to catch up with, but not pass) · fi ohittaa (to pass a more slowly moving object) · km ផ្ដាច់ (to pass a more slowly moving object) · ja 追い越す (to pass a more slowly moving object) · es gabelar (to pass a more slowly moving object) · it raggiungere (to catch up with, but not pass) · sk dobiehať (to catch up with, but not pass) · de überraschen (to occur unexpectedly take by surprise; surprise and overcome) · tr geçmek (to pass a more slowly moving object) · fi yllättää (to occur unexpectedly take by surprise; surprise and overcome) · es rebasar (to pass a more slowly moving object) · de überrumpeln (to occur unexpectedly take by surprise; surprise and overcome) · hy առաջ անցնել (to pass a more slowly moving object) · fr dépasser (to pass a more slowly moving object) · fi ohittaa (economics: to become greater than something else) · lld passé dant (to pass a more slowly moving object) · it sorprendere (to occur unexpectedly take by surprise; surprise and overcome) · de überholen (to pass a more slowly moving object) · da overhale (to pass a more slowly moving object) · el ξεπερνάω (to pass a more slowly moving object) · sk predbiehať (to pass a more slowly moving object) · mn эзэмдэх (to pass a more slowly moving object) · is fara fram úr (to pass a more slowly moving object) · mi popoki (to pass a more slowly moving object) · nb kjøre forbi (to pass a more slowly moving object) · sv köra om (to pass a more slowly moving object) · it superare (to pass a more slowly moving object) · hu előz (to pass a more slowly moving object) · tr sollamak (to pass a more slowly moving object) · mi taha (to pass a more slowly moving object) · it sorpassare (to pass a more slowly moving object) · gl acadar (to catch up with, but not pass) · pl wyprzedzić (to pass a more slowly moving object) · eo preterpasi (to pass a more slowly moving object) · de überholen (economics: to become greater than something else) · cmn 超 (to pass a more slowly moving object) · da indhente (to catch up with, but not pass) · sk predbehnúť (to pass a more slowly moving object) · nl inhalen (to pass a more slowly moving object) · hy հասնել (to pass a more slowly moving object) · az ötmək (to pass a more slowly moving object) · mn нөхөх (to pass a more slowly moving object) · la adipiscor (to pass a more slowly moving object) · da overraske (to occur unexpectedly take by surprise; surprise and overcome) · da overgå (economics: to become greater than something else) · it soverchiare (economics: to become greater than something else) · ta முந்து (to pass a more slowly moving object) · vi vượt (to pass a more slowly moving object) · nmn ǃkʻqáa (to pass a more slowly moving object) · fi saada kiinni (to catch up with, but not pass) · mn гүйцэх (to pass a more slowly moving object) · it sopraffare (economics: to become greater than something else) · ru обогна́ть (to pass a more slowly moving object) · ko 따라잡다 (to pass a more slowly moving object) · ro depăși (to pass a more slowly moving object) · nb passere (economics: to become greater than something else) · bg задминавам (to pass a more slowly moving object) · mn төрөх (to pass a more slowly moving object) · rup astrec (to pass a more slowly moving object) · mi hipa (to pass a more slowly moving object) · grc καταλαμβάνω (to pass a more slowly moving object) · mi poki (to pass a more slowly moving object) · fr surprendre (to occur unexpectedly take by surprise; surprise and overcome) · ro întrece (to pass a more slowly moving object) · de aufholen (to catch up with, but not pass) · th แซง (to pass a more slowly moving object) · fi saavuttaa (to catch up with, but not pass) · es adelantar (to pass a more slowly moving object) · eo atingi (to catch up with, but not pass) · ga tar suas (to pass a more slowly moving object) · pl wyprzedzać (to pass a more slowly moving object) · bg догонвам (to catch up with, but not pass)