overtake

Word parts

over- + take

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA ^(key): /ˈəʊvə(r).teɪk/
• (US) IPA ^(key): /oʊvɚˈteɪk/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Verb

Plain form overtake

Third-person singular overtakes

Past tense overtook

Past participle overtaken

Present participle overtaking

1. (transitive) To overtake is to catch up to and then pass or do better than something.

   He had to really increase his speed to overtake her car on the freeway.

   There was an overtaking lane on the road to allow cars to get passed the slow moving trucks going up the hills.

2. (transitive) If something overtakes you, you are not ready, you are surprised, and overwhelmed by it.

   The government's reforms were overtaken by the mass demonstrations which called for big changes in the laws.

This short entry needs someone to make it better. You can help Wiktionary by adding to it.