overtake
UK /əʊ̯vəːˈteɪ̯k/ · US /oʊ̯vɚˈteɪ̯k/ verb, noun
Forms overtakes overtaking overtook overtaken
- verb To pass a slower moving object or entity (on the side closest to oncoming traffic). “The racehorse overtook the lead pack on the last turn.”
- verb (transitive) To become greater than something else in quantity, worth, etc. “Grocery sales in the north have overtaken those in the south.”
- verb To take by surprise; surprise and overcome; carry away. “Our plans were overtaken by events.”
- noun 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.”
Synonyms
forge catch catch up with pass overhaul overwhelm overpower sweep over whelm overcome
Antonyms
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.
Webster’s 1913
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “overtake”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details