Topic: TRANSPORT
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o‧ver‧take
past tense overtook
past participle overtaken
past tense overtook
past participle overtaken
1 [intransitive and transitive]TT 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 overtake the van.
Never try to overtake on a bend.
He pulled out to overtake the van.
Never try to overtake on a bend.2 [transitive] to develop or increase more quickly than someone or something else and become more successful, more important, or more advanced than them :
Television soon overtook the cinema as the most popular form of entertainment.
Hingis has now overtaken her in the world tennis rankings.
Television soon overtook the cinema as the most popular form of entertainment.
Hingis has now overtaken her in the world tennis rankings.3 [transitive] if something bad, especially a feeling, overtakes you, it happens to you suddenly and has a strong effect on you [↪ overcome]
A terrible sense of panic overtook him.
A terrible sense of panic overtook him.4 if you are overtaken by events, the situation changes, so that your plans or ideas are not useful any more :
The diplomatic negotiations were soon overtaken by events.
be overtaken by events
The diplomatic negotiations were soon overtaken by events.