Overtake | Mean of overtake in English Dictionary

/ˌoʊvɚˈteɪk/

• Verb
• to move up to and past (someone or something that is in front of you) by moving faster
1. The car overtook [=passed] the leader of the race on the turn.
2. She overtook the other runners and went on to win the race.
3. All of the other candidates hope to overtake the front-runner by election day.
4. Obesity may soon overtake smoking as the leading cause of preventable deaths.
5. Frank has overtaken his father in height. [=Frank is now taller than his father]
• to go past another vehicle that is moving more slowly in the same direction
1. Never overtake [=(US) pass] on a curve.
2. The sign says “No Overtaking.”
• to happen to or affect (someone) in a sudden and unexpected way
1. The pain overtook him.
2. Seasickness can overtake passengers when the ship encounters a storm.
3. Sleep had overtaken them.
4. I could feel the impulse to buy it overtaking [=seizing] me.

• forced to be changed because of something that has suddenly and unexpectedly happened
1. The original date for the meeting was overtaken by events and had to be changed.