Overtaken

Overtaken
Overtake O`ver*take", v. t. [imp. {Overtook}; p. p. {Overtaken}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Overtaking}.] [1913 Webster] 1. To come up with in a race, pursuit, progress, or motion; also, to catch up with and move ahead of. [1913 Webster +PJC]

Follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say . . . Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good. --Gen. xliv. 4. [1913 Webster]

He had him overtaken in his flight. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]

2. Hence: To surpass in production, achievement, etc.; as, although out of school for half a year due to illness, the student returned and overtook all the others to finish as valedictorian. [PJC]

3. To come upon from behind; to discover; to surprise; to capture; to overcome. [1913 Webster]

If a man be overtaken in a fault. --Gal. vi. 1 [1913 Webster]

I shall see The winged vengeance overtake such children. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

4. Hence, figuratively, in the past participle (overtaken), drunken. [Obs.] --Holland. [1913 Webster]

5. To frustrate or render impossible or irrelevant; -- used mostly of plans, and commonly in the phrase overtaken by events; as, their careful marketing plan was overtaken by events. [PJC]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • overtaken — overtāˈken adjective (dialect) Fuddled • • • Main Entry: ↑over * * * overtaken UK [ˌəʊvə(r)ˈteɪkən] US [ˌoʊvərˈteɪkən] the past participle of overtake Thesaurus: past participles …   Useful english dictionary

  • overtaken by events — see ↑overtake • • • Main Entry: ↑event overtaken by events : forced to be changed because of something that has suddenly and unexpectedly happened The original date for the meeting was overtaken by events and had to be changed. • • • Main Entry:… …   Useful english dictionary

  • overtaken — (Roget s IV) modif. Syn. caught up with, caught up to, reached, apprehended; see beaten 1 , captured 1 …   English dictionary for students

  • overtaken — o·ver take || ‚əʊvÉ™(r)teɪk v. catch up to; pass; surpass; come upon suddenly, attack suddenly …   English contemporary dictionary

  • overtaken — UK [ˌəʊvə(r)ˈteɪkən] / US [ˌoʊvərˈteɪkən] overtake …   English dictionary

  • overtaken by events — was overwhelmed by the events, was passed by the occurrences …   English contemporary dictionary

  • geáurnen [ye-a-ur-nen] adj overrun, overtaken — adj cast or thrown away …   Old to modern English dictionary

  • obsessed by — overtaken by a compulsion for , cannot stop thinking of …   English contemporary dictionary

  • Nine Network — Logo Launched 16 September 1956 Owned by Nine Entertainment Co. Picture format 576i (16:9 …   Wikipedia

  • overtake — o|ver|take [ˌəuvəˈteık US ˌouvər ] v past tense overtook [ ˈtuk] past participle overtaken [ ˈteıkən] 1.) [I and T] to go past a moving vehicle or person because you are going faster than them and want to get in front of them ▪ He pulled out to… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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