overtake /ˌəuvəˈteik/ vt. (overtook, overtaken) 1.赶上，追上；超过：Japan has overtaken Germany in industrial production.日本的工业生产已超过德国。Only one car overtook us.只有一辆车超过了我们。2.突然降临于，意外地碰上：be overtaken by a storm遭遇暴风雨袭击；be overtaken by/with surprise 惊奇得目瞪口呆；be overtaken by events 突然碰到意外事故