I. overcome |ōvə(r)|kəm verb
Etymology: Middle English overcomen, from Old English ofercuman, from ofer, adverb, over + cuman to come
transitive verb
1.
a. : to get the better of : surmount , conquer , subdue
search out and overcome the difficulties — George Sampson
finally overcame the opposition of the traditionalists — Helen Sullivan
the difficulty of language had to be overcome — L.S.B.Leakey
b. : to affect or influence so strongly as to make physically helpless or emotionally distraught (as from exhaustion or agitation) : overpower , overwhelm
were overcome by fear — H.E.Scudder
too much overcome to notice what was in it — L.A.G.Strong
overcome by the … champagne — Kenneth Roberts
c. archaic : to go beyond : exceed , outstrip
d. obsolete : complete , accomplish
2.
a. archaic : to come or pass over : spread to flow over
b. obsolete : to come over suddenly
intransitive verb
1. : to gain the superiority : win
strong in the faith that truth would overcome
2. chiefly dialect : to regain consciousness after a swoon
Synonyms: see conquer
II. over·come ˈō(ə)rˌkəm, ˈōvər-, -ku̇m noun
Etymology: over (III) + obsolete English come action of coming, from Middle English — more at downcome
1. chiefly Scotland : surplus
2. chiefly Scotland : something (as the burden of a song or a trite phrase) that is often repeated