English Explanatory Dictionary

overtake

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To pass a slower moving object or entity (on the side closest to oncoming traffic).
  2. To become greater than something else in quantity, worth, etc.
  3. To take by surprise; surprise and overcome; carry away.
noun
  1. An act of overtaking; an overtaking maneuver.

Pronunciation

/əʊ̯vəːˈteɪ̯k/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-overtake.wav /oʊ̯vɚˈteɪ̯k/ en-us-overtake.ogg /ˈəʊ̯vəːteɪ̯k/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-overtake2.wav /ˈoʊ̯vɚteɪ̯k/

Word forms

overtake overtakes overtaking overtook overtaken

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.

Synonyms

forge

Antonyms

undertake[curbside]]>

Related words

exceed Not to be confused with take over surpass

Derived words

overtakable overtakeless overtaker reovertake

Translations

Bulgarian: догонвам Danish: indhente Esperanto: atingi Finnish: saavuttaa Finnish: saada kiinni Galician: acadar German: aufholen Italian: raggiungere Slovak: dobehnúť Slovak: dobiehať Spanish: alcanzar
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