Overwent

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Crossed over or traveled beyond a place or obstacle ; surmounted or prevailed over a difficulty or rival
2. Went past something physically, such as a river or boundary ; got the upper hand over an adversary or hardship
3. Journeyed across a barrier in the past ; conquered or outdid a challenge or opponent

Etymology: The past tense of "overgo" is "overwent," and it follows the usual pattern for a verb built on "go," whose past forms are "went" and "gone." "Overgo" comes from Middle English "overgon," which descends from Old English "ofergān," meaning to pass over, cross, overrun, or overtake. Its parts are the prefix "over-" and the verb "go," so the literal sense is going across or beyond something. The Old English verb carried a wide range of senses, from crossing a border or traversing ground to overreaching or conquering, and many of these survived in its later uses. Its relatives in other languages show the same pattern, including Dutch "overgaan" and German "übergehen."

Synonyms: overtake, surpass, outdo