overtake/͵ovɚˋtek; ˌəʊvəˈteIk/v past tense overtook /-ˋtUk; -ˈtʊk/past participle overtaken /-ˋtekən; -ˈteIkən/1 [I,T] to go past a moving vehicle or person because you are going faster than them 超车﹔超过﹐超越〔车辆或人〕: The accident happened as he was overtaking a bus. 他想超过一辆公共汽车的时候发生了车祸。2 [T] literary if something bad overtakes you, it happens suddenly and affects you strongly [→ overcome]【文】〔不好的事〕突然降临﹐强烈影响〔某人〕: She was overtaken by exhaustion. 她突然觉得精疲力竭。3 [T] to develop and become more successful, important, or advanced than someone or something else〔发展〕超过﹐超越: Television soon overtook the cinema in popularity. 电视的普及性很快就超过了电影。