Overcrossed

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Having moved from one side of an obstacle or boundary to the other by passing over it
2. Passed across a barrier, route or dividing line so as to reach the far side
3. Went over or across something such as a river, road or line to arrive on the opposite side

Etymology: "Overcrossed" is the past tense and past participle of "overcross," a verb meaning to pass over something to the other side. The verb was formed in Middle English from "over-" and "cross," so its history is simple: each part was already a working word, and English speakers combined them into a single verb describing a movement across an obstacle or boundary. The base word "cross" carries most of the meaning. It goes back to the notion of a transverse line or passage from one side to another, and "over-" adds the sense of going above or beyond. Together they describe crossing while passing above or beyond whatever lies in the way, such as a river, a ridge, or a border. Because "overcross" is a plain compound, there is no dramatic shift in meaning to report. The word has stayed close to its original literal sense, which is why it reads transparently to anyone who knows "cross" and "over."

Synonyms: cross, traverse