01 v. t. To come up with in a race, pursuit, progress, or motion;
imp.
Overtook; p. p.
Overtaken; p. pr. & vb. n.
Overtaking
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1.
To come up with in a race, pursuit, progress, or motion;“Follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say . . . Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good.” — Gen. xliv. 4.“He had him overtaken in his flight.” — Spenser.
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2.
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.
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3.
To come upon from behind; to discover; to surprise; to capture; to overcome.“If a man be overtaken in a fault.” — Gal. vi. 1“I shall see The winged vengeance overtake such children.” — Shak.
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4.
Hence, figuratively, in the past participle (overtaken), drunken.[Obs.]
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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.