overtake

Valid in Scrabble

Scrabble points
15
Words With Friends
16
Letters
8
Pronunciation
/əʊ̯vəːˈteɪ̯k/
See all 4 pronunciations
/əʊ̯vəːˈteɪ̯k/ · /oʊ̯vɚˈteɪ̯k/ · /ˈəʊ̯vəːteɪ̯k/ · /ˈoʊ̯vɚteɪ̯k/

Definition of overtake

4 senses · 2 parts of speech · etymology included

verb

  1. 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.”
    “The car was so slow we were overtaken by a bus.”
    “"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."”
    “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.”
See all 4 definitions

verb

  1. 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.”
    “The car was so slow we were overtaken by a bus.”
    “"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."”
    “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. (transitive)To become greater than something else in quantity, worth, etc.
    “Grocery sales in the north have overtaken those in the south.”
  3. To take by surprise; surprise and overcome; carry away.
    “Our plans were overtaken by events.”
    “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.”

noun

  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.”

Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.

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.

Anagrams of overtake

1 play · all valid Scrabble

Words you can make from overtake

129 playable · top: TAKEOVER (15 pts)

Best play takeover 15 points

7-letter words

2 words

6-letter words

5 words

5-letter words

21 words

4-letter words

39 words

3-letter words

48 words

2-letter words

13 words

Hooks

2 extensions · 2 back

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