overcome
verb
- succeed against barriers
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˌəʊ.vəˈkʌm/ / /ˌoʊ.vəɹˈkʌm/ / /ˌəʉ.vəˈkɐm/
adj
Etymology: Inherited from Middle English overcomen, inherited from Old English ofercuman (“to overcome, subdue, compel, conquer, obtain, attain, reach, overtake”). By surface analysis, over- + come. Cognate with Dutch overkomen, German überkommen, Danish overkomme, Swedish överkomma.
- That has been overcome, prevailed over.
noun
Etymology: Inherited from Middle English overcomen, inherited from Old English ofercuman (“to overcome, subdue, compel, conquer, obtain, attain, reach, overtake”). By surface analysis, over- + come. Cognate with Dutch overkomen, German überkommen, Danish overkomme, Swedish överkomma.
- The burden or recurring theme in a song.
- A surplus.
verb
Etymology: Inherited from Middle English overcomen, inherited from Old English ofercuman (“to overcome, subdue, compel, conquer, obtain, attain, reach, overtake”). By surface analysis, over- + come. Cognate with Dutch overkomen, German überkommen, Danish overkomme, Swedish överkomma.
- To surmount (a physical or abstract obstacle); to prevail over, to get the better of.
“But sith this wretched woman ouercome / Of anguish, rather then of crime hath beene,”
“By 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.”
- To prevail.
“Hee that ouercommeth, the same shalbe clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the booke of life, but I will confesse his name before my Father, and before his Angels.”
“We shall overcome because Carlyle is right; "no lie can live forever".”
- To recover from (a difficulty), to get over.
- To win against or prevail over in some sort of battle, contest, etc.
“to overcome enemies in battle”
“Ther with all cam kyng Arthur but with a fewe peple and slewe on the lyfte hand and on the ryght hand that wel nyhe ther escaped no man / but alle were slayne to the nombre of xxx M / And whan the bataille was all ended the kynge kneled doune and thanked god mekely / and thenne he sente for the quene and soone she was come / and she maade grete Ioye of the ouercomynge of that bataille”
- To come or pass over; to spread over.
“I was overcome with anger.”
“And overcome us like a summer's cloud.”
- To overflow; to surcharge.
“A Crop so plenteous, as the Land to load, O'ercome the crowded Barns”
“Th' unfallow'd Glebe Yearly o'ercomes the Granaries with Store Of Golden Wheat.”