I. o ‧ ver ‧ run 1 /ˌəʊvəˈrʌn $ ˌoʊ-/ BrE AmE verb ( past tense overran /-ˈræn/, past participle overrun , present participle overrunning )
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ run , ↑ rerun , ↑ runner , ↑ running , ↑ overrun ; verb : ↑ run , ↑ outrun , ↑ overrun , ↑ rerun ; adjective : ↑ running , ↑ runny ; adverb : ↑ running ]
1 . [transitive usually passive] if unwanted things or people overrun a place, they spread over it in great numbers
be overrun by/with something
a tiny island overrun by tourists
The house was overrun with mice.
2 . [intransitive and transitive] to take more time or money than intended:
The final speaker overran by at least half an hour.
3 . [transitive usually passive] if soldiers overrun a place, they take control of it:
Poland was overrun by the Russian army.
II. o ‧ ver ‧ run 2 /ˈəʊvərʌn $ ˈoʊ-/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ run , ↑ rerun , ↑ runner , ↑ running , ↑ overrun ; verb : ↑ run , ↑ outrun , ↑ overrun , ↑ rerun ; adjective : ↑ running , ↑ runny ; adverb : ↑ running ]
an amount of time or money that is larger than was planned or intended:
cost overruns of £2 billion