overrun
/ˌoʊ.vɚˈɹʌn/ verb C1- To defeat an enemy and invade in great numbers, seizing the enemy positions conclusively.
- To infest, swarm over, flow over. · The cathedral square was overrun with tourists.· The vine overran its trellis; the field is overrun with weeds.
- To run past; to run beyond. · The athlete overran the finish line and kept going.· One line overruns another in length.
- To run past the end of. · The aircraft didn't stop in time and overran the runway.
- To continue for too long. · The performance overran by ten minutes, which caused some people to miss their bus home.
- To carry (some type, a line or column, etc.) backward or forward into an adjacent line or page.
- To go beyond; to extend in part beyond. · In machinery, a sliding piece is said to overrun its bearing when its forward end goes beyond it.
- To abuse or oppress, as if by treading upon.
He/she/it overruns · Past overran · Past participle overrun · -ing form overrunning
Verb forms
- Base form
- overrun
- He/she/it
- overruns
- Past
- overran
- Past participle
- overrun
- -ing form
- overrunning
An irregular verb: learn its past and past participle by heart.
From the library
A CERTAIN HOUSE was overrun with Mice.
Still, in spite of this, Albert displayed his most dazzling and effective costumes each time he visited the theatres; but, alas, his elegant toilet was wholly thrown away, and one of the most worthy representatives of Parisian fashion had to carry with him the mortifying reflection that he had nearly overrun Italy without meeting with a single adventure.
Other matches
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