Overcome
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: /ˌəʊvəˈkʌm/
- US IPA: /oʊvəɹˈkəm/
Origin
From Middle English overcomen, from Old English ofercuman ("to overcome, subdue, compel, conquer, obtain, attain, reach, overtake"), corresponding to - + come. Cognate with Dutch overkomen ("to overcome"), German überkommen ("to overcome"), Danish overkomme ("to overcome"), Swedish överkomma ("to overcome").
Full definition of overcome
Verb
- (transitive) To surmount (a physical or abstract obstacle); to prevail over, to get the better of.to overcome enemies in battle
- SpenserThis wretched woman overcome
Of anguish, rather than of crime, hath been. - 1898, J. Meade Falkner, Moonfleet Chapter 4By and by fumes of brandy began to fill the air, and climb to where I lay, overcoming the mouldy smell of decayed wood and the dampness of the green walls.
- (transitive, obsolete) To win (a battle).
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book IV:thenne he sente for the quene and sone she was come, and she maade grete Joye of the overcomynge of that bataille.
- (intransitive) To win or prevail in some sort of battle, contest, etc.
- 1918, W. B. Maxwell, The Mirror and the Lamp Chapter 2, That the young Mr. Churchills liked—but they did not like him coming round of an evening and drinking weak whisky-and-water while he held forth on railway debentures and corporation loans. Mr. Barrett, however, by fawning and flattery, seemed to be able to make not only Mrs. Churchill but everyone else do what he desired. And if the arts of humbleness failed him, he overcame you by sheer impudence.
- We shall overcome.
- (transitive, usually in passive) To overwhelm with emotion.I was overcome with anger.
- To come or pass over; to spread over.
- ShakespeareAnd overcome us like a summer's cloud.
- To overflow; to surcharge.