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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

overtaken en · ADJ

Pronunciation

  • (US) audio
  • /ˈəʊvəɹteɪkən/

Meanings

  1. Taken by surprise; overcome.
    • I was overtaken by events.
  2. (archaic) drunk; intoxicated
    • Once John, being overtaken in drink on the roadside by the cottage, and dreaming that he was burning in hell, awoke and saw the old wife hobbling toward him. Thereupon he fled soberly to the hills, and from that day became a quiet-living, humble-minded Christian. 1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:
    • Indeed, he was 'dithguthted' at his condition; and if upon the occasion just described he had allowed himself to be somewhat 'intoxicated with liquor,' I must aver that I do not recollect another instance in which this worthy little gentleman suffered himself to be similarly overtaken. Now and then a little 'flashy' he might be, but nothing more serious—and rely upon it, this was no common virtue in those days. 1863, Sheridan Le Fanu, The House by the Churchyard:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
more overtaken Degree=Cmp lexicographic
most overtaken Degree=Sup lexicographic

Deriveds

unovertaken · overtakenness

Synonyms

drunk

overtaken en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • (US) audio
  • /ˈəʊvəɹteɪkən/

Meanings

  1. (form-of, participle, past) past participle of overtake
    form of overtake