overtake

From Middle English overtaken, likely an 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.

• (verb)
  • (UK) IPA^(key): /əʊvə(ɹ)ˈteɪk/
  • (US) IPA^(key): /oʊvɚˈteɪk/
  • Rhymes: -eɪk

  • Audio (US):

    (file)

• (noun)
  • (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈəʊvə(ɹ)teɪk/
  • (US) IPA^(key): /ˈoʊvɚteɪk/

overtake (third-person singular simple present overtakes, present participle overtaking, simple past overtook, past participle overtaken)

1. To pass a slower moving object or entity (on the side closest to oncoming traffic).

   Antonym: undertake (“to pass a slower moving vehicle on the curbside”)

   The racehorse overtook the lead pack on the last turn.

   The car was so slow we were overtaken by a bus.

   • 1862, [William] Wilkie Collins, chapter II, in No Name. , volume II, London: Sampson Low, Son, & Co., , →OCLC, 4th (Aldborough, Suffolk), pages 176–177:

     "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."

   • 2019 October, “Funding for 20tph East London service”, in Modern Railways, page 18:

     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.

2. (economics) To become greater than something else
3. To occur unexpectedly; take by surprise; surprise and overcome; carry away

   Our plans were overtaken by events.

   • 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:

     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.

• exceed
• surpass
  • Not to be confused with take over.

overtake (plural overtakes)

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.

• take over, takeover

overtake (present tense overtek, past tense overtok, past participle overteke, passive infinitive overtakast, present participle overtakande, imperative overtak)

1. Alternative form of overtaka